Broken Wings
by spacejunkie82
Summary: It's been nearly 11 years since the Tau'ri defeated the Goa'uld 19 years after SG1 set their first step through the Gate. Life is calm and cozy, but fate's already waiting to drop the other shoe and throw our favorite team in a new kind of adventure. SJ
1. Prologue: Of breaking one's wings

**Title:Broken Wings **

Summary: It's been nearly 11 years since the Tau'ri defeated the Goa'uld - 19 years after SG-1 set their first step through the Gate. Life is calm and cozy, but fate's already waiting to drop the other shoe and throw our favorite team in a new kind of adventure.

Season: future

Spoiler: Spoiler up to Season 8

Pairing: S/J, Sam/Pete, Teal'c/Ishta, other pairings

Type: Angst, AU, Adventure/ Action, Romance, Drama

Warning: Language; Major Character Death; Mention of suicide; oh yeah, techno babble... I thought you might want to know

Archive: SJD, yes; Heliopolis, my site, anyone else, please lemme know.

Author's Note: I started writing it waaaayyyy before 'Threads' aired. Ya know, when we were still praying to TPTB. And I've never been to Jackson. Heck, I've never been to the US at all. Sorry if I got the town or the countryside wrong. And I'm no physicist. Everything I know is just from some reading for interest, so... sorry again if I got it wrong. Anyhow, hope you'll like it. If so, tell me. If not, tell me as well. No feedback and no contact make me go nuts. So, if ya wanna save me...

Many, many special thanks to my wonderful betas Kelley2 and Lori. This story is so much better because of you two.

Disclaimer: Not mine, just toying with them. I promise to be good and hand 'em back, hopefully undamaged. They'll be home before the curfew. No one ever gave money to me. Song's not mine, too. And I used it without permission. No copyright infringement intended. These other guys own everything, I own nothing. Ahh, except this story's original characters. They're all mine.

--- --- --- --- ---

Baby don't understand  
Why we can't just hold on  
To each other's hands

This time might be the last  
I fear unless I make it all too clear  
I need you so

Take these broken wings  
And learn to fly again  
And learn to live so free  
And when we hear the voices sing  
The book of love will open up  
And let us in  
Take these broken wings

Baby I think tonight  
We can take what was wrong  
To make it right

Baby it's all I know  
That you're half of the flesh  
And blood makes me whole  
Need you so

Take these broken wings  
And learn to fly again  
And learn to live so free  
And when we hear the voices sing  
The book of love will open up  
And let us in  
Take these broken wings  
You got to learn to fly  
And learn to live so free  
And when we hear the voices sing

Let us in  
Let us in

Baby it's all I know  
That you're half of the flesh  
And blood makes me whole  
Yeah, yeah, yeah  
Yeah, yeah so

Take these broken wings  
And learn to fly again  
And learn to live so free  
And when we hear the voices sing  
The book of love will open up  
And let us in  
Take these broken wings  
You got to learn to fly  
And learn to live so free  
And when we hear the voices sing  
The book of love will open up  
And let us in

_Mr. Mister - 'Broken Wings'_

**--- --- Prologue: Of Breaking One's Wings --- ---**

His gaze wandered over the even surface of the frozen lake. Carefully, he checked whether the ice would be thick enough to support his weight. Taking first one, then two steps away from the shore, he found himself fully standing on the layer of frozen water. While taking deep breaths, he scanned the vicinity of the lake. This was one of the bigger ones in the area. His pond was perfect for fishing, especially with the lack of fish therein, but unfortunately a bit too small for hockey, unlike this lake. This one was big enough.

Nearly slipping on the ice, he made his way over to the shore, where his skates and stick were waiting for him. How long had it been since he had done this the last time? That had been before. Before he had moved to Minnesota five years ago. Before his world had crushed around him. Before.

He had persuaded the guys to spend their team night out at the rink. Even though he had, by then, already been a general and no more an official part of SG-1, the team had tried to involve him whatever they did. But he usually still felt the gap. Suddenly, it seemed, they had laughed at jokes that he didn't understand, even if they tried very hard not to let him feel it. Like the day they had gone skating.

Daniel had been astoundingly good at it, while Teal'c had chosen to watch them. His feet had never left the solid rock he had been standing on. The Jaffa's behavior that night had provided ammunition for so many days. A grin twisted his lips as his thoughts drifted to the face of panic that had shot through the stoic warrior at the idea of ice skating. His eyebrows had reached a record height, the usually calm eyes dancing in fear.

Another picture popped into his head and the incipient smile died immediately. Carter: her cheeks red from cold and excitement, her blue eyes sparkling in anticipation. Somehow his chest seemed too small for his lungs to breathe, his heart hammering against the restraints of his ribcage. Her face changed and became a vision of the last time he had seen her, making it even harder for him to breathe. As usual, the silent plea in her eyes, begging him to stay, turned his mood into something dark and dangerous.

He could still remember this feeling from the days before Abydos. Though he hardly remembered the days themselves, he could still recall darkness. Everything had drifted by in a blur, like the first year in Minnesota had. Occasionally, he still slipped into the old pattern but, by now, he knew how to deal with it.

The look on her face when he left was something to think of through cold, lonely nights with a bottle of good whiskey to keep him company… but not for bright winter mornings with open ice. He pushed the thought away. Quick fingers fastened his skates and soon he took the first steps onto the ice. The soft drifting on the ice and the cold wind helped to scare away those moody thoughts that waited threateningly at the dark corner of his mind. Skating over the smooth surface, he moved with an ease that surprised even him.

His hockey stick in hands, he circled the length and width of the lake. The freeing feeling reminded him of why he loved hockey so much. Skating had always reminded him of flying, its speed the closest thing he figured he could come to his wish of becoming a pilot back in the days of his youth, when he had spent each vacation at his grandfather's cabin.

"Jack!"

Jeremy was standing at the shore, waving in Jack's direction. The brand new skates were hanging loosely over his shoulder, anticipation written over his face. The boy's father had died a few years ago and his mother would have died along with him if she could. She had tried. Last year, Jeremy had found her, the thin skin of her wrists cut open. She had survived and was now living in a place where skilled people took care of her.

So, somehow, Jack had adopted the kid. Maybe it was the other way around but, to be honest, Jack didn't care. The kid was great, a genius. His knowledge some years senior to his age, yet he possessed the undeniable talent to get himself into trouble wherever he went. Jeremy was probably the only reason why he hadn't gone nuts before now.

Grinding his blades against the surface, small pieces of ice arced skywards as Jack skidded to a perfect hockey stop. A strange cracking noise emerged from the ice below him and Jack felt his heart skipping a beat. He knew the sound of breaking ice. He opened his mouth to shout a warning to Jeremy but, before he was able to do anything, the ice gave way beneath him, his weight pulling him down into the dark waters.

Shock and cold made the blood rush through his veins. Fighting down the first impulse to head towards the surface, he tried to stay calm. He needed to find the hole which he had broken through just seconds ago. He couldn't have gone far; there was no current in the lake to push him away from it. Focusing his eyes on the ice blanket above him, he could see nothing else. Tiny bubbles caught in the ice reflected what little light shone through. Rising to the layer of ice, he felt his way around but the hole was gone.

His lungs were starting to burn, consciousness slowly fading into darkness. And suddenly, he understood. This was it. The End. This time there would be no sarcophagus, no Asgard, no Carter to save him. Carter. Her smiling face popped up in front of his eyes. The smile spread warm rays through him as if the sunlight had suddenly melted the ice and the lake's temperature had risen some sixty degrees. And, then, there was nothing. Just warmth and light.

--- --- ---


	2. Shifting Foundations

**--- --- Shifting Foundations --- ---**

Snow crunched under her feet as she made her way towards the front door. Christmas was only weeks away and Colorado Springs was covered by a white blanket. Everyone seemed to enjoy the snow. As did her neighbors' kids. They were involved in a snowball fight, oblivious to the freezing temperatures. She on the other hand, couldn't wait to get out of the cold.

Thoughts of hot chocolate and a crackling fire filled her mind when she finally reached the door of her house. The second she opened the door a steadily ringing phone shook her out of her warm daydreams. Grabbing the assorted bags filled with Christmas presents for her niece and nephew, she headed towards the kitchen. The warmth inside her house left her skin prickling at the sudden change of temperature and sent small shivers through her body.

Still the phone rang, its annoying sound screaming for attention. It had been ringing for some time now, but the caller seemed persistent. Dropping the shopping bags on the table, she finally answered the phone, slightly breathlessly.

"Carter."

"Sam?"

The voice on the other end of the line was familiar, but one she hadn't heard in a very long time. She had always thought that they would stay in contact, close contact, should the SGC ever be shut down but somehow it hadn't turned out that way. Her surprise was obvious when she finally answered.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah, it's me."

His voice was rough and, despite the fact that it had at least been months, years, since the last time they had met, she recognized this particular tone only too well. Cold fingers crept up her back, bringing back memories of Daniel in her arms, crying over Sha're. Yes, she knew him far too well not to notice that he had been crying. Fear started to swell inside of her, her thoughts running through various scenarios of what might have happened.

"Daniel, what...?"

"It's Jack."

Her heart stopped beating. The words had been choked, buried in sobs, telling her that Daniel had started to cry again or had, perhaps, never stopped. Something had happened to Jack. Something that was definitely not good. Something that had made Daniel cry. And though he was a very sensitive man, Daniel seldom cried.

Fear claimed her as she leaned against the wall to steady herself. While pictures of the last time they had seen each other kept flashing before her eyes, she forced herself to pay attention to what Daniel had to say. She didn't even notice her knees buckling under her as his words sunk in. Darkness claimed her and her mind tumbled willingly into it.

--- --- --- --- ---

The house was dark when his car pulled up in the driveway. Opening the door, he called out for his wife, but she was nowhere to be seen. Although he wasn't sure, he thought he had seen her car outside. Switching the lights on, he saw her jacket discarded thoughtlessly on a chair.

When he reached the kitchen, he stopped dead in his tracks. Several bags were tossed on the table, the phone next to them but, still, no Sam. The sight made his police training kick in. Stealthily, he moved over to the living room while his eyes scanned his surroundings for any hint of what was going on.

He pulled to a sudden halt as he heard a movement from above. Unconsciously, his hand started searching for his gun. Weapon in hand, he moved up the stairs and entered the corridor that led to her bedroom. The room was even darker then the rest of the house. He supposed that the curtains had been pulled over the windows, effectively shutting out any light from the setting sun outside. Stifled sobs reached him from next to her bed.

The grip around his gun was steady as he switched on the lights. He found Sam sitting on the floor, her back leaning against the bed. Relief washed over him when he finally saw her. Then he took in her surroundings and expression and the feeling was soon pushed away by another wave of fear.

Next to her was a packed duffel bag. Her eyes were red and puffy. Tears were still streaming down her face. His heart clenched at the sight. Sam was normally so guarded. It was rare that she let the shields, her armor, down. Even after four years of marriage, he could count the occasions he had witnessed her like that on one hand, hell, on one hand with several fingers amputated.

"Sam? What is it?"

He was at her side in no time, kneeling next to her. Yet when he tried to pull her into his arms to comfort her, she pushed him away. A strange feeling of foreboding shot through him and he searched her face for any hint that would explain her behavior or her shattered look but found none.

"Sam?"

She didn't answer, just kept on staring, unseeing, into space. He gripped her by the shoulders and shook her slightly. This had at least some effect. Her eyes found his and he couldn't help the feeling that she had just now noticed that he was here.

"It's Jack."

Fear was mingled with irritation at her choked words. Jack? Racking his brain for a face that might belong to the name, he came up with nothing. His irritation must have been written on his face.

"General O'Neill." Her explanation was choked out between tears.

Jealousy joined the other feelings at the mention of THAT name. This particular feeling was only too familiar when it came to O'Neill. This man had been the thorn in the side of their relationship. Pete was pretty sure that 'the General' had been the reason why Sam had held back for so long, delaying their wedding constantly and why their whole marriage had been doomed.

She had assured him that they had never been involved but he wasn't stupid. He had seen the looks this guy had thrown in her direction. At the time, he had tried to convince himself that she didn't reciprocate O'Neill's feelings but, as time passed, he started wondering whether this was really the case.

It would have been better for everyone if he had noticed earlier, Pete supposed. To be honest, he had had a strange feeling about this right from the beginning. He had always thought that, maybe, she didn't feel as much for him as he felt for her. But he had chosen to cast a blind eye, afraid of the alternatives.

In the end, the retired general had left Colorado seven years ago and she had stayed here. He had been able to convince himself that she really loved him, that he had just been playing devil's advocate. Pete had thought that she hadn't had contact with O'Neill but, obviously, he had been wrong. The sobbing woman in front of him was all proof he needed.

Of course, he had known for some time now that their marriage was not worth the document that confirmed it. She hadn't even shared a bed with him in over a year. The signs had been there from the beginning and, if he hadn't been so damn willing to make this work, to make her stay, he would have known. After all, he had already lived through one shattered marriage and should've been able to read the warnings. And it wasn't only O'Neill, although Pete preferred to believe it was, especially after too many beers.

Sam had always loved her independence and Pete had been way too protective and mistrusting. He guessed, in both cases, these things came with their jobs. Unfortunately, these particular character traits didn't go along too well. But there was more.

Both of them liked to be in control, another thing that broke the neck of their relationship, as well as all the other tiny little problems he hadn't thought important at first. And now the day he had dreaded for so long had finally arrived. She was leaving him for 'Jack'. Since when did she call him 'Jack', by the way? A stab of betrayal rushed through him when her voice shook him out of his brooding.

"He's dead. Daniel, Cassie, and Teal'c will be here in a couple of minutes and then we'll go up to Minnesota."

Ashamed at his thoughts of just a moment ago, he couldn't stand her look and his eyes dropped to where his hand fidgeted nervously with her jeans. There was nothing he could say to comfort her and probably she didn't even want him to. There was just one thing he could offer. His presence. Again, he tried to comfort her and, again, she shook his hands off.

Determined, he stood up and walked over to the spare room - his room - pulling a bag out of the closet. She followed him and he could feel her confusion, but he wouldn't let her go on her own. She would need someone and he would be that someone, whether she wanted him or not.

"Pete, what are you doing?"

Her voice was rough from what had probably been hours of crying.

"Packing. I won't let you go alone."

He turned again to retrieve some pants but stopped when he felt her hand on his shoulder. The grip was steady and the sobs seemed to have died down.

"I won't be alone. Daniel, Cassie, and Teal'c will be there."

"Sam, I..."

"Pete, please."

The tone in her voice silenced him immediately. He could identify determination and anger but there was also something else he couldn't name. He knew that he couldn't win this fight, that he had lost it a long, long time ago. Surrendering, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She didn't want him to come along. And, although he knew that it was totally inappropriate, he felt jealousy rush through him again.

Suddenly, she stepped around him until they were face to face, her hand never leaving his shoulder. Shock shot through him as he realized what the other feeling in her voice had been. It was clearly reflected in her eyes and it shook him to the core. The silent plea was too much for him to handle. He had never seen her beg for anything. The thought was disturbing and he couldn't help listening to the small voice in his head that asked whether he, Pete Shanahan, had ever been able to move her that much.

"Yeah. Go." Even to his ears, his voice sounded defeated.

A couple of minutes later, he watched her get into the car, protected by Daniel and Teal'c and comforted by Cassie. And, finally he started to see more clearly. He loved her, God knew he did. Love had never been a problem, at least not on his part. But they wouldn't, couldn't, work it out. She didn't even trust him enough to help her now. She was going alone to meet him. Even if he was dead, she couldn't stand to have Pete there. People say love blinds you but he had never known just how true that saying was until now.

Both of them had been blinded, had wanted this so badly. He had loved being a husband again, had loved waking up with someone, coming home to someone. Maybe he had loved the feeling more than he'd loved her. Maybe they both had married for the wrong reasons. Too many maybes and just one solution.

As the car drove down the street, he saw her outline in the backseat. Her face was buried in Cassie's shoulder and he could nearly hear their connection snap. Then and there, he realized that, after everything they had been through together, their time was finally over. Sighing, he returned into the warmth of the house. He would start packing tomorrow.

--- --- ---


	3. Reality Dawning

**--- --- Reality Dawning --- ---**

The car drove slowly through the thick curtain of snow. A blizzard howled outside and they were hardly able to see anything. The storm seemed to gain strength with every flake that poured itself out of the ominous gray clouds. Sighing, Daniel pulled up at a small motel whose blinking neon signs were barely visible from the street.

"We won't get anywhere in this weather. Maybe we'll be able to reach Jackson tomorrow." His hand hit the wheel in a gesture of frustration before he turned around to face his friends.

Sam felt Daniel's eyes drift over her and continue towards Teal'c and Cassie, obviously asking for their assent. His eyes returned to her but she was too tired to even nod. It was as if every ounce of energy had been drained from her body, leaving her numb and crushed. Hardly noticing Daniel leaving the car and making his way through the swirling flakes, her eyes stared unseeing into the storm.

The flight had been rather quiet. None of them had felt like small talk and, once they had been in the car, the silence had settled heavily on them. Yet Sam welcomed it and wrapped it around her like a blanket, reaching out for it like a starving man for food. Her brain was busy sorting through the pictures that flooded her mind. Any sound disturbed her and she didn't want to be disturbed. Her thoughts were focused on one question. Where did it all go wrong?

His face turned up in front of her eyes. Anger had been visible in those warm brown eyes when he had left. She had seen the look before but it had never before been aimed at her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get rid of the image of chocolate eyes, for the first time totally unguarded. Eyes showing despair. Showing anger. Disappointment. Love. Hate. Crushed hope. Betrayal. Her betrayal.

The moment he turned around and left the SGC she had known that she would probably never see him again. And it had hurt; damn, it still hurt. But it was all her fault. If she had supported him more then, fought their dismissals, maybe he would still be alive. Maybe she would have been at his cabin with him, instead of sleeping in a lonely house.

To be fair though, Jack had been the one to walk away from her. She had wanted him to stay so badly, but her damn pride had held her back, made her throw herself into Pete's arms once he left. And, now, she was stranded. Alone, in a house she despised, with a job she hated and a husband whom she...

Like Jack, she had been forced to leave the SGC. After a year, she had finally married Pete and she had hoped that her new job as a teacher at the Academy would contribute to her marriage. She had known how hard it had been for Pete to watch her go out day after day, never knowing whether she would be home in the evening or whether she would never come home again. And at first, it had worked. At first, Pete had managed to accept only easy investigations that allowed him to be home at night, to spend time with her, now that she was assigned to the Academy.

But, then, the fights had started. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was controlling her life, making it impossible for her to breathe. As a result, she had fought back, told him to back off and allow her some privacy. He had, after several discussions, transferring to an undercover police unit, so that he had been away sometimes weeks in a row.

By now, she felt like she didn't know Pete anymore, like he was a stranger. They had chosen different paths that were rapidly heading away from each other. This was one of the reasons she hadn't wanted him to come along. It didn't feel right to come to his cabin with Pete, a man who was so far from her heart, but never with Jack.

A knock on her window shook her out of her dark thoughts. Daniel looked at her, worried, keys dangling from his fingers. The effort to push the door open was nearly too much and Daniel helped her out. Brushing his hand away, she steadied herself at the car. Granted, she was weak but she was not that pathetic. The worried look on Daniel's face penetrated her fuzzy thoughts and new guilt flashed through her at the thought of causing him even more pain, adding to the weight already pressing down on her shoulders.

"These were the last rooms. Teal'c and I will share; Cassie, this is your and Sam's key."

The parking lot was sheltered from the snowstorm but Sam was sure she could feel the wind tugging at her clothes, making it hard to take the next step towards the motel. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel and Teal'c stepping into the room next to hers.

Somehow it was reassuring to know that they were just one door away. And Cassie would be there, right beside her. She was surrounded by friends. Though the thought didn't help much to ease the pain, it made it easier to bear.

The room was rather small but she didn't mind. She was too tired for anything. Collapsing on the bed, she didn't even bother to change clothes. Instead she surrendered to the feeling of absolute exhaustion, seeking refuge in sleep's darkness.

--- --- --- --- ---

Sleep didn't come easy to Daniel these days. Sometimes he had the feeling that he had to bear the weight of the galaxy on his own and he wondered how Jack or Hammond could have ever dealt with it. But the constant pressure he had to stand since Jack left the SGC was overshadowed by guilt. Jack was dead. He had died out there, alone. The ice had been too thin to support his weight. As simple as that. No heroic act, saving the world. No friends to keep him company.

Guilt. Daniel saw it in Sam's face. They had stayed silent when Jack had been abandoned. He knew for sure that Teal'c had stayed in contact with Jack and the thought was comforting. At least Jack had had one friend. Guilt. It was gnawing at his insides, eating him alive.

Next to him, he heard Teal'c snoring. The presence of his former teammate, the sleeping pattern he knew so well, also had a calming effect on Daniel's strained nerves. He had missed his team, all of them. After their glorious victory over the Goa'uld 11 years ago, the SGC had gone public but none of the world's leaders had felt too comfortable with the American military presence at the Stargate.

As a result, all military personnel apart from some guards provided by various nations had been removed and the Stargate had been handed over to a committee, consisting of representatives of nearly every country on Earth. Civilian representatives. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex was no longer US territory but as neutral as Switzerland.

Daniel could still recall the angry spark in Jack's eyes as if it had been yesterday. The threatening voice still echoed in his mind, when he had stormed out on the President and him.

"With all due respect, Mr. President. You can't be serious. There are dangers out there worse than the Goa'uld. You can't simply shut down the SGC."

"This is none of your business, Jack. It's time to face reality. The time of war is over; now is the time of exploration. We need to share this with the world. And I won't shut down the SGC, just the military branch."

Jack's eyes had glared at Daniel, asking him for assistance. But he had said nothing. He had just stood there, silent, glancing at his shoes. He had thought it was for the best. This was the last time he had seen Jack. His warning had been echoing through Daniel's head for all these years that he had been chairman of Earth's Stargate Committee, ESGC for short.

"Don't you dare call me when you need help. Let Earth be destroyed. I don't care."

And, now, Daniel wouldn't be able to ever ask his friend to forgive him. Maybe this was something like a cosmic hint to make him see reason. There was another friend whom he had abandoned. He wasn't proud of it, but soon after her wedding he had lost contact with Sam. He had simply assumed that she was happy at the Academy and with Pete. How could he have been so blind, he wondered not for the first time today. Even though the momentary situation was hard on her, he could see the dark shadows under her eyes which were so bigger now and she had lost weight. It couldn't be Jack's death that had done this to her and Daniel scolded himself for letting this happen to her. Whether she had wanted him to be there or not, he should've been at her side. This was what friends were for, right? He promised to himself that he wouldn't let things get out of hand again.

Turning around on the bed to take a look at the clock on his nightstand, he hoped that he would get the chance to apologize tomorrow. He wasn't looking forward to tomorrow, well, actually, today. The sheriff of a town called Jackson had called him, telling him about Jack. If Daniel hadn't been so shell-shocked, he might have smiled at the coincidence of the naming.

His thoughts were running in circles, drawn to reality by the weather. Outside, the snow storm seemed to increase in intensity, the wind howling loudly, mirroring Daniel's mood.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he waited fruitlessly for sleep to lull him in its song. Sleep that refused to come.

--- --- --- --- ---

The storm had calmed down by the time they had continued their slow journey through the masses of snow. Silence had once again settled over the small party but that did not bother Teal'c. He had never understood the human need to talk where words were meaningless. They reached Jackson around midday. Blue sky and bright sunshine broke through the heavy clouds, belying the freezing temperatures.

Teal'c's gaze fell on the sign welcoming them in Jackson as they drove past. He could vividly imagine O'Neill's smirk at its sight. 'Celebrating the Past - Anticipating the Future' was written in green letters, a huge tree in the middle.

He would never see that smirk again. Although his grief was not as openly displayed as Daniel Jackson's or Samantha Carter's, he still felt the loss of his friend just as deeply. O'Neill had been a brother in arms and more. He had invited Teal'c, a stranger back then, into his life, although he had just minutes before helped to implant a symbiote in Skaara. Jack O'Neill had helped him through the first strange years on Earth and Teal'c would forever be grateful for the things this man had done for him.

Teal'c had been the last of their small party to see O'Neill. He had brought Ishta and they'd visited O'Neill last summer. Finally, after all those years, Teal'c had been able to walk around in public, not hiding who he was. This had been a great relief as it had been annoying to be referred to as 'Murray'. After the Goa'uld had been defeated, Teal'c had reluctantly returned to Chulak. He would have loved to stay on Earth. The planet had grown on him, and he felt sorry to leave, but it was necessary.

He had never before allowed his personal feelings to interfere with what was best for his people and, seeing the now-free Jaffa fighting against each other in an attempt to gain control or power, he had known that he had no choice but to return to Chulak. He had been successful. With Ishta and Rya'c at his side, he had led the Jaffa towards a peaceful freedom.

This dream would have never come true if it had not been for O'Neill. As a warrior, Teal'c knew that war demanded losses but to lose O'Neill in such a way seemed inappropriate and senseless. He deserved so much more. It was simply wrong for such a warrior to die like that. There were only two ways a soldier deserved to die: either in battle, fighting for a noble cause or, after all fights were fought, peacefully in the arms of his beloved.

Daniel Jackson stopped the car in front of the local police station. He turned around to face Teal'c and then Cassandra sitting on the back seat.

"Cassie, Teal'c, and I'll go talk to the Sheriff. Could you...?"

A small nod in Samantha Carter's direction indicated Daniel Jackson's intentions. Cassandra simply nodded while Teal'c got out of the car. His gaze wandered over to the two women and stayed longer on Samantha Carter. Sadly, she was just a mere shadow of the warrior he used to know. She seemed to take O'Neill's death poorly, very poorly indeed. Making certain Cassandra would be alright, he turned to follow Daniel Jackson up the stairs.


	4. Letting Him Go

**--- --- Letting Him Go --- ---**

Darkness was starting to fall over the countryside when they finally reached Jack's cabin. It seemed as if the world was laughing at her, rubbing her face in the fact that she had never allowed herself to visit him here although she had wanted to so badly. Somewhere along the way, he had stopped asking her to come along and she'd given up hope. Despite the fact that she'd still cared about him, she'd surrendered, given up on them.

Some time later, she had met Pete and had hoped that he would be able to fill the void Jack had left in her life but, even more importantly, in her heart. Pete. The man she was married to, the man to whom her heart should belong. So why did she feel as if she had died along with Jack? As if her heart had stopped beating the minute he had walked out of the SGC and out of her life so many years ago?

Once again, snow started to fall, muffling each sound. His cabin seemed to be the very image of serenity and peace, screaming straight into her face, 'This is what you've missed!'. The sound of their footsteps on the porch seemed hollow.

Teal'c opened the door with his spare key and the cold air inside made her inhale deeply. It even smelled like Jack. If it hadn't been for her friends, she would have rolled herself up on the floor, crying like a baby. But the steady grip of Teal'c's hand on her shoulder helped to fight the numbness that threatened to claim her mind. Suddenly, the grip on her shoulder fastened more tightly, holding her back.

"I believe someone is in here."

His voice was barely a whisper, as he crept towards the living room. The soldier in her, buried so long ago by the teacher and scientist she'd been forced to be, took over in a split second. Every nerve screamed at the sudden change from numbness to overdrive. She reached automatically under her jacket for the familiar outlines of her gun when she heard a sound coming out of the living room.

But her hands came back empty, reminding her that her weapon was gone. Pete had persuaded her that one gun in the house was more than enough. Steeling herself for what was about to come, she and Teal'c burst into the living room and stopped dead when their eyes fell on the boy sitting on the ground.

Big green eyes looked shocked under the long strands of brown hair hanging into his face. The amazing eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, tears still rolling down the boy's cheeks, glistening in the last flickers of sunlight through the snow. Suddenly, those green eyes widened in recognition, while Teal'c raised the obligatory eyebrow and a rather unusual smile.

"Jeremy Matthews, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Teal'c?"

Surprise was palpable in the boy's voice. Sam thought him to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. Who was the kid and why did Teal'c know him? She was still trying to find an answer when she felt the kid's eyes settle on her.

"You're Sam Carter and," he nodded toward Daniel, "Daniel Jackson. And I guess you're Cassie. I'm Jeremy. Hi."

Finding her voice for the first time in what seemed like years, Sam was only able to bring a single question to her lips.

"How did you..." Jeremy's outstretched hand cut her question short, pointing to a picture hanging at the wall. She remembered the evening. It had been their 'we-kicked-Goa'uld-ass' party. They'd figured, after all those years of fighting, they'd earned the right to have a little shindig.

"He told me everything about you. He spoke about you nearly everyday..."

The teen's voice faded, sobs crashing his body. This sight was the last straw for Sam, her carefully constructed dam breaking in tiny pieces. Tears ran down her cheeks while her body shook violently. She hardly noticed Daniel pulling her into his arms, trying to calm her.

Damn. Why did it have to hurt so much? She had lost so many people in her life but she couldn't remember a time where she had hurt this much, not even after her mother's death. Daniel eased her over towards the couch as gentle voices in the background showed her that the others were engaged in a conversation. She willed her world to stay silent.

--- --- --- --- ---

The woman, Carter, had fallen asleep in Daniel's arms. Jeremy was glad that he wasn't alone now, even though he couldn't help but be angry with the two people sitting on Jack's couch. He knew how much they had hurt Jack but he also knew that Jack had forgiven them a long time ago and would want him to do the same. But, he railed inwardly, these two hadn't even been able to muster enough courage to call Jack or make contact somehow. If they knew... had known... Jack even only half as good as Jeremy did, they would have known that Jack O'Neill was the most stubborn person on this planet and that there was no chance in hell that he would give in first.

Yet Jack had cared about them a great deal. He had told him everything there was to know about his former team, especially about Sam Carter. Jeremy wasn't an idiot. He knew how much she meant to Jack. And the look on her face when she had sat there in Daniel's arms, reminded him awfully of the look on his mother's face when his father had died. That look caused cold shivers to run down Jeremy's spine. His mother had been drawn inward and she'd never returned to the world of the living.

Jeremy's gaze returned to the white envelope lying on the table. Surrounded by Jack's friends, he once more tried to force himself to open it. He knew exactly what was in there but he was afraid to see and read it. Somehow it seemed to make Jack's death more real. With shaking hands, he grabbed the envelope, his eyes staring unseeing at Jack's handwriting on the white.

Mitch had dropped by a couple of hours ago, handing the letter to Jeremy. He had felt sick to the stomach and his guts had twisted painfully. Jack had known Mitch since the time they both had been boys and Mitch had begged Jeremy to come with him, had told him that it wouldn't be good to be alone at such a time, but Jeremy had refused. After all, he wasn't alone. In the end, Mitch had simply left the letter and his phone number. He had told Jeremy to call any time and the boy had nodded dutifully.

Determined, he finally ripped the envelope open. It was now or never. His look fell to the words, the black strokes of Jack's handwriting covering the paper. God, how he missed him already. Jack had been like a father to him, helping him when no one else was willing to. He had seen what no one else had seen and Jeremy owed everything to him. Shaking himself out of his silent reverie, the boy focused on the letter again.

Behind him, he felt Daniel move and heard a soft yawn. Four pairs of eyes settled on Jeremy. His voice was shaky when he finally began to read out loud.

"Dear Jeremy,

When you're reading this, I'm... yeah, dead. See, you know me, I'm not good at this stuff. I hope you're not alone at the moment. Is Teal'c there? Maybe even Daniel and Carter?

Anyhow, the cabin's yours, as well as an account at the bank. It should be enough to allow you to go to college. I'm sure you'll do great. You are one of the smartest people I've ever met, hell, maybe the smartest. And that means a lot. If Carter's there, you might have noticed that."

Jeremy stopped one moment to look at her. A small smile twisted her lips, so faint that you easily could have missed it. Daniel's head nodded in his direction, urging him to continue.

"I'm sure the guys will look after you. Despite everything, they were my family and you'll be a part of theirs as well. I know they'll be your family. You'll get along pretty well with Daniel and Carter. Believe me, you'll like them, once you get to know them better but, then, you already know just about all there is to know about them, don't you?

I'm sure you'll do great, whatever you decide to do with your life. You gave me a second chance at being a father and I like to think that I didn't screw up again. I'm sorry you have to go through this but believe me, I'll always be around. Keep that in mind, son."

Jeremy's voice caught in his throat and he stopped reading for a moment. It seemed as if Jack was far better at writing such stuff than actually voicing it. When Jeremy started again, the words on the white paper floated through the unshed tears.

"Teal'c, I'm leaving you my world famous pancake recipe. Yeah, I know it's not much but, truth be told, I couldn't think of anything else and, for a guy who's as constantly hungry as you are, I thought that would be appropriate. If there's anything you want, take it. But I guess you've already got the best things, like freedom for your people... I'm glad that I was at least able to give you my help with that much for your friendship through all those years. I'm honored to have fought at your side. Take care, big guy.

Daniel, you'll get my truck. This old rusty thing you call a car isn't even worthy to bear that name. I know for sure that you've been late to more meetings than I could've ever been. Don't think, I don't know that the chairman of Earth's Stargate Committee has nearly blown several treaties, because of that cripple he believes to be a car. Now you won't have an excuse. You'll also get my chess set. I know you liked the style. What was it? 17th century? It was in the hands of my family for as long as we can remember. I guess I never told you how much I appreciated your work. I really did. You helped me see reason when I needed to and I can never repay you the years you gave me. Thank you, Daniel.

Tell Cassie she'll get my 'Simpsons' collection and my Play Station. I know she'll like them. I'm sure she's a good Doc (at least insofar as I didn't have to suffer from her needles). I know Janet would be proud of her. I still think of her as the little girl we brought back from Hanka. And I'm so damn proud at how she has handled everything life's thrown in her direction, proud of the woman she became. Make sure she's okay.

Well, Carter, Sam, I've been sitting here for a long time, wondering what to give you. You'll get my telescope. Although constantly working with the stars - and blowing them up on rare occasions - you've never really been able to just see their beauty. I hope you will finally realize that there is more to them than just... matter and anti-matter, and protons, and neutrons, and all that stuff. You'll also get my mother's watch. I'm afraid it's not worth that much but it was her favorite.

And, this way, you'll always know what time it is. It has always been about time, hasn't it? We were never lucky with our timing; hell, we had a worse timing than Daniel and that's nearly impossible. But, then, doing the impossible was part of the job, timing be damned. There are still many things I should have said to you but I never got around telling you. Or, to be more precise, I never had the guts. I wish I had. Anyhow, I hope you're happy, wherever you are. And I hope Pete loves and respects you as much as you deserve it. God knows, I always will.

So, I guess it's goodbye now. I'll miss you all.

Jack."

Jeremy's voice broke with the last word. Behind him, he could hear muffled sobs coming from the couch. He hated to appear weak but he couldn't help some tears running down his cheeks as well. Jack's face when he'd broken through the damn ice burned behind his closed eyes and Jeremy was sure that he would never get rid of that vision, no matter how hard he tried.


	5. Of Being A Rock

**--- --- Of Being A Rock --- ---**

The cabin was barely lit by the fire burning in the fireplace. Shadows danced over faces that showed nothing but despair and sadness. Next to her, Cassie could hear Sam's shallow breathing. She'd fallen asleep some time ago, exhausted from crying. The boy, Jeremy, sat in front of the fire, staring with dead eyes into the sparkling red and yellow. Those colors were also reflected on Teal'c's golden tattoo, his face giving away nothing of what he might've been thinking.

Snuggling closer to Daniel and settling herself in his arms, she felt his grip tighten on her. Once again, she'd lost a part of her family but she'd also gained a new little brother. Life was an ironic bitch sometimes.

Teal'c's calm voice suddenly pierced the silence, making her jump slightly.

"Do you know how O'Neill died, Jeremy Matthews?"

Cassie's heart went out for the poor boy, his face turning just a shade paler. Of course, they had all been curious to know who directly Jeremy was and the boy had given them a rather flippant story about how he came to be Jack's son. She was sure that he had left out many details, but the pain in the boy's eyes was enough to stop her from asking. And now, Teal'c was asking such a question. She could understand why Teal'c would want to know. He'd taught her enough about the way of the Jaffa and dying as warrior stuff but she couldn't believe that he had really asked. The boy had just lost his father and Cassie could pretty well identify with how he must feel now.

"I was there, at the lake. He wanted to teach me hockey. I stood at the shore, calling for him. He stopped, waving at me, and the ice broke under him. Maybe if I'd been earlier, he would still be alive, maybe..."

Jeremy's scrawny body broke directly in front of her, his form shuddering as he drew in a deep breath. She could see his reluctance to show his weakness, reminding her awfully of Jack. Even his mannerisms were similar, she thought as his hand ran through the brown strands of his hair.

"I saw the shock on his face as he realized what was going on. And, then, he was gone. I rushed towards him, tried to pull him out, but I couldn't. He was gone, simply gone. I reached into the water even, but there was nothing. For just a second, I thought I saw a bright white light somewhere under the water, but I guess..."

"White? As in 'glow' white?"

Cassie heard the hint of hope in Daniel's voice and she freed herself from his steady grip.

"Yeah, it was kind of glowing. I called the police and they sent divers down. Hours later, they pulled out his body. I still..."

This time, Jeremy was really crying and Cassie stood up to kneel down next to the boy, pulling him into her arms. Although he struggled at first, he soon collapsed. Sobs crushed him and she held him even closer.

"Daniel, I'd like to examine the corpse back at the ESGC. If anything's wrong here, we'll find it."

She watched Daniel nodding, the boy in her arms stilling a bit. If the glow was of any significance, she'd find out. She wasn't the head of the medical staff at the Earth Stargate Complex for nothing.

--- --- --- --- ---

Daniel felt empty. Completely, utterly empty. The letter had confirmed that Jack had had the grace to forgive him; he'd even kept himself informed about Daniel's whereabouts. But Daniel had not had enough strength to even call him. One little call wouldn't have killed him. But he had been too frightened and, for once, as stubborn as Jack.

Now it was too late and Jack was gone.

Another sleepless night had passed by, strange shadows haunting him. He had fallen into some half sleep, half nightmare where Jack's face, eyes wide and full of fear, called out for Daniel to help him. The visions had vanished when the first rays of sunlight had shone into the room, raising him from his state of distress. Stretching his stiff limbs, he silently got up. His friends were spread throughout the room, covering couches and chairs and his face twisted in a slight smile.

He stepped over Cassie's legs resting on the small table. When he made his way towards the huge glass door, he could see the snow glistening like diamonds in the soft morning light. Jack had been right; this place was wonderful. His eyes continued their journey, stopping at Jack's boots sitting outside. Although Daniel hadn't seen Jack in ages, he hadn't even noticed just how much he missed his friend.

The sparkling white outside caught his eye again and reminded him of Jeremy's words. He had seen bright white, glow, and Daniel couldn't help but feel hope swelling inside of him. If he had learned one thing throughout his years with SG-1, it was to always expect the unexpected. Especially when it came to dealing with Jack O'Neill. They all had fought death more times than he wanted to remember but they'd always made it no matter the odds. Maybe this time, would only be one close call more, one more time where they'd laugh at death.

He heard Cassie shift in her sleep. A picture of Janet suddenly sprang to his mind, her hand clutching to his. Fear had been written in her eyes. That time, death had laughed at them. Probably, death already laughed heartily at them again. Yet, hope refused to let itself be pushed back into the box where it had been hiding.

Pulling his eyes away from the wonderful serenity outside, he started preparing breakfast. The others awoke to the smell of coffee and pancakes. Sam refused to eat anything and the dead eyes that looked back at Daniel scared the hell out of him. He knew that there had always been more to Sam and Jack's relationship than just professionalism but he wasn't prepared for what he saw now. She looked as if she'd died along with Jack.

Everyone in the room apart from Sam jumped at the shrill sound of the doorbell echoing through the cabin. The mutual chewing stopped immediately. Daniel went to answer the door, finding two figures standing outside. Their outward appearance screamed bureaucrats, even if he'd seen them from miles away.

"Hi, my name's Jean Friedman and this is Michael Warren. We're looking for Jeremy Matthews. We're with the Jackson County Department of Human Services, Child Protective Services Division."

Daniel's eyes narrowed as long-forgotten feelings resurfaced. Memories of children's homes and ever-changing foster parents danced through his head, his stomach turned into knots.

"Yeah, come in. Jeremy's inside."

Seating them on the couch, he didn't need to listen to their explanations. He knew exactly why they were here. They were going to take Jeremy with them. But not without a fight. The boy had had a hard life and Jack was right. He needed a family and Daniel would see to it. He owed Jack so much more than that but this was a start.

--- --- --- --- ---

Jeremy was gone. They had been repeatedly assured that it was only a matter of days until all papers were signed and ready. Ms. Friedman had told them that they wouldn't want to keep Jeremy longer than necessary and Cassie seriously hoped that this was true. Daniel had fought like she had never seen before but even Teal'c's silent threatening had no effect on the two intruders.

Cassie was well aware of Daniel's past and understood his feelings completely though she'd had so much luck with her own adoptive family. The expression in those blue eyes was more than enough to show her that he identified with the boy. Both had lost their parents early, both were much too smart for their own good, both had found a friend in Jack.

But, despite all their fighting and reasoning, in the end they had had no choice but to hand Jeremy over. They had assured him it wouldn't be long but she had seen the fear in his eyes, belying his cool demeanor. Although she hardly knew the kid, she had taken an instant liking to him. Perhaps it was their similar history. Perhaps it was those green, intelligent eyes and charming smile that would melt every woman's heart. Apart from Jean Friedman's, as it seemed. She couldn't let Jeremy down.

But she couldn't let Jack down, either. Her mind raced through all equations until she found a solution she felt would work. Daniel and Teal'c would stay here, trying to solve the problem with Child Protective Services. Both of them were more useful here. Knowing Daniel, he would be too passionate about this and, although he was normally the perfect negotiator, his behavior during this latest meeting had shown her that he couldn't cope with this situation. So, Teal'c needed to stay to keep Daniel from doing something stupid.

She'd take Sam back to Colorado with her. Sam Carter, the woman who'd always been her rock, who'd always been there to catch her when she'd fallen, that very Sam Carter who had been silent, caught up in her own world throughout this whole incident. She remembered Sam after Jolinar, her face pale, as white as the sheets she had been laying on, dark shadows under red eyes. Cassie had been so afraid that day, so scared.

Yet the Sam, sitting next to her on the couch, her mind turned inward and trapped in her own world of pain and sorrow, scared her so much more. She'd feel much better if Sam was with her in Colorado instead of staying here where everything directly screamed of Jack's presence… and his absence.

Cassie realized that it was time she started repaying some debts. And she'd start by being the rock that Sam needed.

--- --- --- --- ---

A/N: Many, many thanks to those of you who have reviewed so far. It really means a lot to me. I was starting to doubt the story, but you've given me hope again. Please keep on telling me what you think of it.


	6. Barely Hanging On

**--- --- Barely Hanging On --- ---**

Sam was only peripherally aware of Cassie, running through her house, calling out for Pete. The day had gone by exactly like the last. Seconds turned to minutes and minutes to hours, stretching on like eternity. Everything mashed together in a thick fog, flaring endlessly in front of her.

Somewhere upstairs, she heard Cassie yelping and, for the first time in what seemed like years, she felt something awaken inside of her. Hurrying up the stairs, she searched for Cassie until she found her, sitting on the bed and holding a letter in her hands.

Relief rushed through Sam and her heartbeat slowed down. Cassie was okay. Whatever had raised her awareness, if it had been fear or years of training, it was again buried under thick, gigantic layers of guilt, pain, shame, and a billion other emotions she didn't want to differentiate coursing through her all at once.

She felt darkness reaching out for her as she would have felt a real person, calling out her name. It claimed her and she slipped willingly into its arms, embracing it and seeking refuge in the numbness. At least it helped her to ease the pain, to silence the screaming inside of her. He was dead. Nothing would ever be right again. He was dead. Nothing could ever be right again. He was dead.

The paper in Cassie's hands slithered to the ground as she stood up, pulling out Sam's clothes of a closet.

"You'll come with me. I won't leave you alone."

Sam didn't need to look at the paper to know what was written there. He'd left. After four years of trying to make it work, he'd finally had the guts to make the final step. This was something she couldn't say for her part. She was well aware that it should've hurt, but it didn't. Everything was dampened by the pain of losing the man she loved. Yeah, she'd realized that much during the last days.

She loved Jack O'Neill; she'd always loved him. Of course, she had loved Pete too, in a way, but as much as it shamed her to admit it, she hadn't loved him enough. Pete had been caring, easy going, loving, but, most of all, available. And she had used his kindness because the alternative scared the shit out of her. Another blanket of guilt added to the already overwhelming layer at the thought of Pete.

She'd never brought anything but pain to the people who loved her. Jonas, Martouf, Narim, Orlin, Pete, Jack. The last words of his letter were still coursing through her brain. He had loved her. Her heart pounded painfully, the only hint that she was still alive. Everything around her was covered in darkness. She didn't care what happened to her, nothing mattered any more. He was dead.

Her fingers traced the lines of the silver watch at her wrist. It was the only jewellery she was wearing. She'd slipped her wedding ring off yesterday when Daniel had handed her the watch. The watch reminded her constantly of his words. Their timing had never been right. And, now, the watch was on her wrist, mocking her. But then, she knew she deserved the joke it represented. She deserved so much more pain. For all intends and purposes in her mind, she had killed him herself. If she hadn't allowed it to stay in that damn room... If she hadn't married Pete... If she had been there...

Darkness was calling her and she turned willingly into the arms of her new lover.

--- --- --- --- ---

Teal'c and Daniel waited for him in a small room. For the first time in days, he saw familiar faces. Outside the building, there were a thousand reporters waiting for him. Rumors of the death of Jack O'Neill, savior and hero, had spread and had caught up with those who had had the honor to call him friend. To Jeremy, Jack had been so much more than that. To him, Jack had been his family and he swallowed hard against the lump in his throat that emerged every time his thoughts returned to Jack.

The first time he'd met Jack, he'd tried to steal his truck. Jeremy had always been so much smarter than the other kids at school and he had skipped classes as often as possible. No need to die of boredom, or at least that was what he had thought at that time. His mother hadn't been able to take care of anything, let alone her son and he'd searched for respect in other ways.

If it hadn't been for Jack, he'd probably ended up in jail or something similar. Jack had shown him that there were other ways, that there were people who cared about him. He'd realized that there was more to Jeremy than met the eye and he'd seen right through him. It was all due to Jack that Jeremy could start with college next year at the age of fifteen. No one else had ever done as much for him as Jack.

Now, Jack was gone. Jack had left him, like everyone else he'd ever cared about had left him. And, even more, it was his entire fault. If he'd been at the lake earlier, if he'd waved just a moment later.

"Jeremy, we need to talk."

The boy's eyes narrowed on Daniel, Jack's so-called friend.

"Why?"

Satisfaction rushed through him as Daniel flinched at the harsh tone of his voice.

"We're trying to get you outta here. You would need to come with me to Colorado..."

"Why do you care? You don't know me, I don't know you. Why should you care?"

Jeremy knew he should feel badly as he saw the man's face pale and falter but he was too angry to really care. Life had messed with him again. It just wasn't fair. He wanted to scream, to shout at life, at Jack for abandoning him, at Daniel and Carter for leaving Jack behind, at himself for not rescuing Jack and for showing those jerks, who claimed to be Jack's friends, his weakness the night they'd shown up.

"I care because I know exactly how you feel. I know what it's like to lose your family. My parents died when I was a kid, my grandfather didn't want me, and I had to change foster homes more times than I can count. I finally found a new family with my wife, Sha're, but she was taken away from me. Jack helped me up again. He brought me back and he, Teal'c, Sam, and Cassie, they became my family, even if it doesn't look like that from where you're sitting." Daniel's voice strengthened as he went on, "Sam lost her mother when she was 13, Cassie lost her entire family at 12 and her second mother at 18, Teal'c lost his wife and almost lost his son. We all lost our families, our emotional homes, but we were able to build a new one; we became each others' family. You're part of that family as well, Jeremy. I made the mistake of letting down a family member once but I won't do that again."

Jeremy's defenses crumbled when he saw nothing but honesty in Daniel's eyes. He could feel the anger floating away, leaving nothing but grief and pain. Words of Jack's letter sprang to his mind as he watched the man. Jack had wanted them to be a family.

The silent blue eyes watched him warily, the tension palpable in the set of Daniel's shoulders. Confronted with two sets of eyes, sending nothing but loyalty and care in his direction, the tough mask fell to the floor. It had never worked with Jack either.

"Thank you."

His voice was barely audible but it was enough. He could see the smile twisting Daniel's mouth. The man looked at him for a minute longer before he reached for some papers.

"So, now that this is out of the way, we need to do some paperwork..."

--- --- --- --- ---

Cassie paced her small office nervously. They had offered her her mother's old, much larger, office but she had refused to take it. Somehow, it didn't seem right. Even today, she thought she could hear her mother's voice calling through the ESGC every time she passed that door.

Her death had been hard on Cassie at the beginning but, the longer she kept going, the easier it got. First, she'd felt nothing but pain whenever someone mentioned Janet Fraiser. Gradually, she had been able to think about the good times and she'd been able to return to her mother's workplace to continue what she had been fighting, and eventually dying, for.

She had applied for this job without the knowledge of Daniel. Of course, he would've helped her, but this was something that she felt she had to do on her own. Not that the ESGC could've turned down the 'summa cum laude' graduation from the Harvard Medical School. Her mother had always said that she was a fast learner. Even more so after the whole incident with Niirti. Her mother had run some test's back then to find out whether Niirti had changed something in her brain structure, but she hadn't been able to detect anything.

It hadn't taken Cassie long to build herself some sort of reputation within the ESGC. If someone had a problem to solve, they knocked at her door. So, when the former head of the ESGC's medical staff had recommended her for this position, she had taken it with delight. She was proud that she had managed this without the interference of her beloved 'uncle', that she had done this alone.

But, today of all days, she wished her mother could be with her right now. Jack was dead; once again her curse had taken away one of those she loved. And, to top it all, the latest results of Jack's autopsy were strange. There was a slight abnormality in the gene sequence and she'd no idea what to think about it. The abnormality was tiny, really, not worth mentioning, but it disturbed her. If only her mother could be here. She might have known what to do with this.

"Cass?"

Her assistant, Bridget, entered the room, a thick file in her hands. Forcing a smile on her face, Cassie took the folder and flipped it open. Her mother's handwriting filled row after row and she found her heart clenching at the unexpected sight. She had forgotten her mother used to write her reports by hand, rather than using a computer.

"You okay?"

The worried expression in Bridget's eyes pulled her back to herself. She nodded in the woman's direction, signaling her that she was okay, and the woman left. Cassie started curiously scanning the pages. This would take some time. Years and years of Jack's medical life written in narrow lines. And, boy, this man had led quite an exciting life. Either exciting or suicidal. According to the pages, she rather thought the latter. Broken bones, bruises, cuts wherever you looked. Yeah, Jack had never taken it easy, always gone to his limits.

Her hand felt for her coffee and she sipped absentmindedly. She sat there for hours, scanning what her mother had written. Suddenly, her eyes focused on one particular incident. Maybe this was the key.

--- --- --- --- ---

The heavy truck pounded through the snow framing the highway. They'd just left Nebraska and were now only a couple of hours away from Colorado Springs. Another storm seemed to crawl up on the horizon and Daniel hoped they'd be home before all hell broke loose around them. Although blizzards weren't unusual in this part of the world, their intensity and quantity was striking. He'd never seen that much snow, not even in Antarctica.

Normally, he didn't like the cold. He'd lived the better part of his life in hot places with sandy deserts surrounding him. But, today, the cold outside matched the cold inside, as if nature felt their loss and grieved with them. Even so, he wouldn't have wanted to travel until after the storm but Cassie had called yesterday, telling him they should get 'down there' as soon as possible. And Daniel had, like usual, followed his orders. Ok, well, perhaps it was rather unusual, but he'd always followed important orders. And this one seemed to be important. So he'd grabbed everything and everyone and left for Colorado.

Another of those dreaded Christmas songs tuned up on the radio and Daniel switched it off. Christmas Eve was two weeks away but it was the last thing he needed right now. Daniel wouldn't mind skipping it this year altogether. He'd never cared that much about Christmas. It only helped to beat home the message that he had no family. In general, the foster families had tried to involve him, make it easier for him, but he had always felt the loss of his parents so much more on this day than on any other.

His parents had loved Christmas. A smile touched his lips as visions of their Christmas in Egypt dwelled up inside of him. They'd been on a dig, a place so far out of the way that they'd barely seen anything but sand let alone another person. His parents had paid for that dig on their own, having found no sponsor. So, it had been just them and a handful of workers.

His parents hadn't been able to afford anything but token presents so, instead, they'd spent the next days together, all their attention focused solely on Daniel. The young boy had been so excited as his parents were normally too busy to spend their time with him. His father had shown him some games from Ancient Egypt and, when darkness had settled around them, the chilling cold of the desert surrounding them, they'd started a fire and laid down outside their tent, stargazing while his mother had told him endless stories about the Ancient Gods.

But, after their death, he hadn't been able to enjoy Christmas. It had only reminded him of that one perfect Christmas Eve so many years ago. That was, until he became a member of SG-1. Initially, they hadn't planned to spend Christmas together but somehow it'd ended up that way.

None of them had had a family to spend the day with so, during his first year on SG-1, Jack had volunteered to keep an eye on the base, allowing Hammond to go home to visit his grandkids, and Sam had tried to hide in her lab, with the relationship between Jacob, Mark, and her being what it had been. Teal'c had still tried to hide the fact that he had a family at all and, of course, didn't even realize what Christmas stood for, culturally, and Daniel had buried himself in work. They had ended up in the commissary, sharing memories and just enjoying not being alone.

Ever since then, they'd found themselves standing on Jack's doorstep on Christmas Eve. But not the last couple of years, not this year, not next year. Never again.

Behind him, he heard Jeremy shift in the seat, a soft snoring starting nearly immediately. The boy was now Daniel's responsibility. It was amazing how fast a bureaucratic system could work if the President of the United States made a personal call on it. Daniel owed him for that but, if it helped to ensure that Jeremy would be with them on Christmas, Daniel would have gone to hell and back. The poor boy had just lost his father all over again. He shouldn't have to suffer through a lonesome Christmas. It would be bad enough the way things were.

It seemed as if Zeus wasn't on his side. The first snowflakes started to swirl around the truck when they were still 80 miles away from home. At least he was driving Jack's truck. His old car would have broken down miles ago or slithered into one of those enormous snow banks at the side of the highway. Hoping desperately that this blizzard wouldn't have an impact like the last ones, he concentrated all his attention on driving again, a smirk covering his face when Teal'c started to snore as well, joining in Jeremy's soft rhythm.

--- --- --- --- ---

"So…" Daniel gestured with his glasses in hands towards the gray walls surrounding him as if he could still feel the freezing breeze. "What's up, Cass? What was so important that we couldn't even wait until the end of that blizzard?"

She knew he hadn't even taken the time to stop at home; he'd driven straight to Cheyenne Mountain.

She'd asked Teal'c to show Jeremy the commissary. This was nothing she'd want to discuss in the young boy's presence. That was exactly why she hadn't brought Sam to the meeting as well.

"And where's Sam? Why did you send Jeremy away? What have you..."

"Daniel."

He looked at her with a deer in the headlight expression, obviously realizing he had been too lost in thoughts to notice that she hadn't been able to utter one syllable, let alone a word.

"Sorry. Go ahead."

Walking over to one of the chairs, he sat down, his fingers nervously twisting his pants. She watched him a few moments, considering how to start. But, as usual, she took the fast way, cutting straight to the point.

"The corpse they'd fished out of that lake isn't Jack O'Neill."

For a few moments, she thought he hadn't heard her. His face still looked as if he was concentrating on what she was saying. But, gradually, she could see the words sinking into his brain, mirrored by the parallel upward movement of his eyebrows.

"What? I mean, how... We all saw... How... What?"

He stopped his rambling as his look finally settled on Cassie, scanning her eyes and searching for truth. She felt that he doubted her results and she went into defensive mode, her eyes narrowing on him. How dare he to doubt her professional abilities? Had he only employed her because she was Janet's daughter? Suddenly, a smile twisted his tightly pressed lips and she let herself relax against her chair.

"You're serious."

His smile was infectious, mirroring the overjoyed feeling inside of her she'd been hiding for a while now. She hadn't wanted to tell Sam without having spoken to Daniel first. Sam hadn't said a single word since their return from Minnesota. In fact, she could have only spoken two or three words since they'd gone up there.

And, since their return, Sam had done nothing but sit in the darkness of Cassie's spare room. She'd refused to eat anything. Cassie had even had a hard time making her drink some glasses of water. She'd seriously considered taking Sam to a shrink. Even now, she hadn't dismissed the thought fully.

For the moment, though, she forced herself back to the situation at hand. She jumped slightly when Daniel let out a loud whoop. He jumped to his feet, pulling her out of her chair and spinning her around.

And, for just one moment, she allowed the pressure and fear to fall from her.

She'd been so afraid that Sam had finally lost it. So afraid that there was nothing she could do to help her surrogate mother. Afraid that she would lose yet another mother. Afraid that she would be left alone for good this time.

But, now, with Daniel spinning her around as if she were 12 again, things suddenly didn't look so scary.


	7. Finding Hope

**--- --- Finding Hope --- ---**

"Sam?"

Daniel Jackson nudged her knee gently but her eyes stared unseeingly into space. She hadn't responded at all to any of their attempts to get through to her. Teal'c was standing directly behind Daniel, both pairs of eyes fixed on the former soldier in front of them.

"Sam!"

"Samantha Carter."

Teal'c had used his most threatening voice that would have made any young Jaffa wither before his very eyes and would have woken O'Neill up from the soundest of sleep. They got no response. Samantha still gazed vacantly before her, her eyes clouded. The sparkle that had been so characteristic for her, the twinkle of intelligence, was as dead as the corpse in the ESGC morgue.

Even for Teal'c, the sight of his former comrade was rather unsettling. He had never witnessed her like this and it was something he would chose to never see again. Though he had been present during her breakdown when O'Neill had been missing so many years ago, he had never seen her weak.

"Sam!"

Daniel Jackson held her chin in a way that she had to look at both of them but, despite the fact that her eyes faced in their direction, she looked through them, burning holes in the air. For the first time since the whole incident began, he feared that they might have lost her permanently. And the fog that greeted him in her eyes did not help much to ease his discomfort.

"Sam, listen to me. Cassie ran some tests... Jack is not dead."

Just one second, Teal'c pondered whether to correct Daniel Jackson. Technically, they couldn't be sure that O'Neill was still alive. Yet, the complete lack of response from Samantha Carter made him stay silent. She did not even blink, her face showing no sign that she had heard what Daniel Jackson had told her. Once again, his friend started to call out for her, pronouncing each and every word to stress their meaning.

"Sam, this is important. Sam. Listen! Jack. Is. Not. Dead."

"Samantha Carter, do you not understand what Daniel Jackson is saying?"

Though untypical for him, Teal'c found himself becoming impatient. She needed to hear those words but she simply refused to. He was not sure, but he thought the mist in her eyes had faded for one brief moment, the first hint that she was still in there. That Samantha Carter remained in the dead hull that was once so full of life.

"Sam, he's out there. Jack is out there. He is alive. And he needs our help."

Her expression changed slightly and her eyes, although still foggy and weary, focused on Daniel Jackson. Teal'c released the breath he hadn't even noticed he was holding. Behind him, he heard Cassandra Fraiser shift. She walked around the bed and sat down on the other side, her hand stroking the older woman's shoulder softly. The dip of the bed had a direct result on Samantha and she freed her head from Daniel Jackson's grip and turned around to let her eyes rest on Cassandra.

"Jack is not dead, Sam. He's alive."

Cassandra's voice was soft as she continued trying to reach the older woman. The answer was barely audible, the voice strained and harsh, yet it rang through the room like a staff weapon's blast.

"How?"

He saw Cassandra shuddering at the sound of Samantha's voice but she soon found her equilibrium. He had seen how hard this had been on her and he had cursed himself for not coming with her in the first place. She could have needed a friend much more than Daniel Jackson.

"The results of the autopsy showed a slight abnormality in the gene sequence I couldn't explain. I thought that maybe Jack's medical history would show something helpful. After all, he's gotten snaked, killed, revived, and God knows what else during his time at the SGC. I think I found what I've been looking for. As you know, a few years ago, Jack was cloned. This clone showed an abnormality in the genetic make-up, matching that of the corpse to 100. The corpse was just a clone. It obviously never lived. I guess because of the Asgard gene protection they weren't able to clone him alive..."

Samantha's hand shot out to reach for Cassandra, hugging her closely while she sobbed into the younger woman's shoulder. A weight fell from Teal'c's broad shoulders at the image in front of him. She was back again, hopefully for good this time.

--- --- --- --- ---

"The question is where do we go from here?"

Cassie looked at them with a weird mixture of joy and worry. Her voice had been strained, asking the question she might have pondered all day.

"What do we know for sure? First: The corpse is not Jack. Second: Someone replaced Jack by this clone. Third: This someone has the ability to clone Jack in a relatively short amount of time AND possesses some kind of transportation device. Fourth: Jack could be anywhere in this galaxy, maybe even this universe."

Daniel let out a sigh as he resumed the facts and Sam found her head spinning with different possibilities, equations running through her brain. For the first time in years, she truly felt alive. He was alive. Any other option wasn't acceptable. He was alive and he needed her to help him. Maybe he was being tortured just now and he waited for Sam to get him out.

Teal'c's low rumble broke through her thoughts. "I believe we should contact the Asgard. They possess all the abilities necessary to do the things Daniel Jackson has spoken of. If it was not them who were involved in what happened to O'Neill, it is possible they will know who else holds such power."

Sam nodded at Teal'c in acknowledgement. She'd already thought about that possibility. Problem was...

Daniel interrupted, "We can't contact the Asgard, Teal'c. Jack was the only one to know how to contact them. Thor was very explicit when he disapproved of the President's decision to get rid of Jack. He'd said that the Asgard would leave our galaxy, now that the Replicators as well as the Goa'uld were no longer a threat to either them or the humans. He said that it was time for the Old to go. Only Jack knows where they are and how we can reach them."

"Daniel's right," Sam confirmed.

She watched Teal'c as the new information sank in. Finally, she tore her gaze away, her head dipping as she leaned on the counter that divided Cassie's living room from the kitchen. There went nothing. Her gaze was fixed on her shoes, her mind buzzing after such a long time in stasis. She didn't even notice the door to Cassie's living room open until she heard it squeak in its hinges.

"He had a device. Looked like a stone. I found it one day and got curious. I, ahh, kinda took it apart to see how it works. It uses Jack's DNA to send a... well, I'm not sure about that…I think it somehow sends a long-distance message by bending space."

The blonde head shot up as the unfamiliar voice pierced the room, her eyes scanning the fourteen-year-old boy.

"You mean you actually understood what you were looking at?"

Jeremy nodded shyly in her direction, answering her question. The first hint of a blush colored his face under Sam's penetrating look. She couldn't believe it. It had taken her weeks to find out just how that Asgard device worked and she held a PhD.

"Do you have any idea whether there's some margin in the DNA sample?"

Daniel's voice distracted her from her wondering, bringing her down to the matter at hand. If the DNA sample didn't have to match 100, they could probably ask the clone...

"When Jack found out about me taking it apart, he asked me what I'd learned. I told him and he said I was right about it. I asked him some questions and he explained that the DNA had to match his completely. He'd said that he'd wanted that as an act of precaution. I didn't understand why he had been so explicit about it but he said he didn't want to explain it."

...for help. Jack had been aware of the chance that the clone might use the device. Damn. She'd always thought that he was much smarter than he let on but he'd been so pretty good at acting that she sometimes forgot about the master degree she knew he had to have. That guy hadn't made Brigadier General for nothing. He wouldn't have been to the Academy if he was as dense as he wanted people to believe, either.

"That means, in order to find Jack, we need to have Jack?"

Cassie's voice was somewhat shrill as she sat back on the couch, burying her face in her hands. Frustration and despair were palpable in her, mirroring Sam's emotions. She could only too well imagine what was going on in Cass.

The small voice in Sam's head screamed at her to think faster. She had to come up with something. She had to. It was a matter of do or die. How could she survive losing him again? She'd seen what all those regrets had made of her throughout the last week and she would do everything to cancel those regrets, to do all the things she'd always been too scared to do. Now that she knew the alternative, she found that some strained nerves weren't that bad.

--- --- --- --- ---

Jeremy stood back as Carter paced nervously the vicinity of the living room. He'd seen her shock as he'd told her about the device. Jack had told him about how smart she was and Jeremy was flattened that he'd been able to make her gape at him. From the look on her face, he figured it must have taken her some time to find out how the device works. Well, on Jeremy's part, it had taken him the better part of four months but he wouldn't tell her that. Out of the blue, Daniel's voice broke through the rustle of pacing feet.

"So... if we need to have Jack in order to find him, why don't we get Jack?"

Carter stopped and turned around to look at Daniel, who was sitting next to Cass on the couch, the confusion that crossed Carter's face contrasting with the smug expression Daniel wore.

"Sam, what about that alternate reality thing?"

She took some time to think about what Daniel had just said and then shook her head.

"If we still had the quantum mirror, maybe, but it's been destroyed. How are we supposed to reach another reality without it? I can't see it, Daniel."

Quantum mirror? Alternate reality? It took Jeremy only a couple of seconds to figure out that they had to be talking about the 'multiple universe theory'. Everett, as well as some other physicists had theorized a lot about it but none of that could have been proven. It was just a theory… wasn't it? Daniel's words implied otherwise.

Jeremy racked his brain to find knowledge about anything called quantum mirror but he came up with empty hands. He knew a quantum was the smallest discrete quantity of some physical property that a system can possess. And he knew that quantum mechanics dealt with predicting not only a possibility of an action but all possibilities emerging, as well as the chances for each variation to become reality. But he had no idea how to connect that knowledge with the image of a mirror.

"Is there no other way to travel to an alternate reality?"

Teal'c's voice penetrated the boy's brain as his mind was reeling with the new information. If these people were to be believed, alternate realities were a fact; they were true. And you were able to visit them by using a device called a quantum mirror. From what Jeremy knew about quantum mechanics and the multiple universe theory, this mirror had to… "create a kind of wormhole to connect the two different planes."

"What?"

Carter's sharp voice pulled him out of his inner dialogue. He looked up somewhat blankly.

"What did you just say, Jeremy?" She repeated more gently.

He hadn't even been aware that he'd said anything aloud. Blushing once again, he repeated his thoughts for all to hear. He'd never told anyone about his theories apart from Jack and he had to fight down the fear swelling in him. After all, Sam Carter held a PhD in astrophysics and, for all he knew, she was THE expert when it came to dealing with wormholes and quantum mechanics.

"All theories about alternate realities that I know involve some kind of wormhole. But then, most of them, like Feynman and his 'sum-over histories' involve traveling back in time through a wormhole. It would make sense that this thing you're talking about, the quantum mirror, uses technology to create a wormhole similar to the Stargate to connect those parallel planes of reality."

His green eyes were fixed on the floor, afraid to look up to see he'd made an absolute fool of himself. Her shoes entered his field of vision and, hesitantly, he looked up to see a radiant smile meeting his eyes. Yeah, he'd made such a fool of himself. He'd known it. Steeling himself for the laughter that was about to burst over him, he lost his balance for a minute when she pulled him in a hug, kissing him on the cheek.

"Daniel, I need to get access to the Gate. And I need some of my old staff. Could you arrange that? Teal'c, do you still do your Kel'no'reem?"


	8. Unexpected Guests

**--- --- Unexpected Guests --- --- **

A soft kiss was planted on his chin and he smiled unconsciously. Stifling a yawn, he opened his eyes slowly to be greeted by the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. She smiled at him and he studied the small lines around her mouth that creased when she smiled. Boy, how he loved her smile. With a fluid movement, he pulled a hand over his eyes to brush away the last remainder of sleep.

"Such a good way to be woken up."

The smile grew and she propped her head on her elbow. He held her gaze until her eyes started roaming over him. He felt lines of fire where her eyes traveled. Her voice was soft and seductive as she propped herself up on both arms, her head directly over his.

"I know even better ways to wake you up."

Her lips descended onto his, kissing him deeply, and he felt certain parts of his body most definitely waking up. She broke the kiss and smiled at him with one of those radiant smiles that could melt the world around him until all that was left was her. He wondered whether it was legal, feeling that good. Maybe he was on dope... but then, maybe it was just his wife.

"Have I told you today how much I love you, Mrs. O'Neill?"

"Feel free to go ahead. Somehow this doesn't get old, Mr. O'Neill."

They were about to close the distance between them once again when the phone started ringing. Jack sighed audibly as his wife burst into giggles at his frustration. Forcing his hand to feel for her cell, he pushed himself up. There was no way they could ignore that call. The tune was the one she'd programmed for the SGC.

Flipping it open, he greeted the caller with a harsh, "She isn't available at the moment."

He listened to the voice, fully aware of his wife's watchful eyes. She tensed as she heard him answering, knowing that something was off, despite his efforts to keep his face neutral. She'd always been able to read him like a book, no matter how hard he tried to fool her.

"We'll be there in thirty. Keep 'em there. Don't let anyone talk to them."

Before he'd ended the call, she'd already jumped out of bed, struggling to pull on her pants. Following her example, he waited for the inevitable question to come.

"What's up?"

"Seems we've got some unexpected visitors. A few minutes ago, the Gate opened. There was kind of a malfunction and the iris couldn't close. Two people emerged. One of them was a Jaffa; the other claimed to be Samantha Carter."

The look of total shock and disbelief on her face was gorgeous. She was always so controlled, so aware of everything, and he was always overjoyed to see that she could still be amazed by something. He'd missed that expression so much. When he'd met her, she'd been curious of everything, wanting to tear the world into tiny pieces and giving him that 'gosh, this is fascinating' look every ten minutes. But, over the years of experience and war, this expression had grown rare on her face.

Kissing her softly on the cheek, he made his way towards the bath, leaving her in astonishment.

"Get going, Sammy. You're already waiting for yourself."

--- --- --- --- ---

Sam hurried through the SGC corridors, following her husband closely on his heels. Who the hell was that woman and where did she come from? Whoever she was, there was no way she could be Sam Carter, as Sam was pretty sure that she, herself, was said woman. They reached the isolation rooms and Jack stopped suddenly dead in his tracks, making her bump slightly into him as she'd still been lost in thoughts.

She looked over his shoulder to see what had shocked him like that. The small window revealed the woman's face behind the glass… her face. God, she really looked like her. The hair, the face, the eyes. She could have looked at her reflection in the window. Granted, the woman was thinner and looked older, more worn out, but it was definitely her.

"You ok?"

Jack's brown eyes watched her warily and she forced a smile on her face. He could read her far too well to buy it, but he accepted it and opened the door. She could feel his hand on the small of her back, offering his support as they stepped through the metal door. The woman's eyes followed them when they walked through the room towards the table she was sitting at.

Her eyes were fixed on Jack and Sam stepped a bit closer to him. There was something about the way the woman looked at Jack that gave her the creeps.

"So, I heard you asked for us. Care to explain who the hell you are."

The room fell silent after Jack's sharp words. The woman seemed to think about her answer before she spoke. Sam could see Jack flinch at the sound of the voice, so much like her own. This was just... weird. And she didn't like it a bit.

"My name is Samantha Carter. I come from an alternate reality and I need your help."

"Impossible. You came through the Stargate and the Stargate doesn't connect different realities. It just creates a wormhole to travel through space, not the multiverse."

Sam's curiosity had gotten the better of her and she shot a quick glance in her husband's direction as an apology for the interruption. Her head was already busy doing the math, adding and discarding theories rapidly. They'd destroyed the quantum mirror years ago and there was no other way to travel to other realities.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I thought. But I was able to modify the Stargate so that it would connect using the subatomic quantum foam Teal'c found…"

"The Jaffa? Who is he? What do you know about the Goa'uld?"

Jack's voice had interrupted the woman mid-sentence and Sam mid-thought.

"Yes, Teal'c is Jaffa and has been loyal member of SG-1. I hope you've been nice to him."

"At least he'll be treated better than any of our teams would have been treated in the hands of Ra!"

Sam could see the tension in her husband, his hands already fidgeting with a pen he'd produced out of nowhere. She concentrated so much on him that she nearly missed the woman's eyes go wide in surprise and a flash of anger.

"Teal'c is the best friend I could have ever asked for. He saved your... my Jack's ass more times than I care to remember; he turned his back on his God to save our lives and fight against the Goa'uld. He deserves to be treated with a hell of a lot of respect, respect that you had better pay him."

The woman took some deep breaths before she started again. Her threat drifted heavy in the air and Sam could feel Jack's tension ease a bit. It was hard to imagine that an enemy would have spoken like that. After another shuddery breath, the woman started speaking again.

"Anyway, Teal'c helped me to access the quantum foam through meditation. As you know the super sub quantum foam connects every atom to another atom in another reality by use of a wormhole. Through his Kel'no'reem techniques, Teal'c was able to choose our destination among the million possibilities in the multiverse. I wanted him to find a reality where the Jack O'Neill is as close as possible to our Jack O'Neill. When we left the wormhole, we were here."

--- --- --- --- ---

"You believe her? You kidding?"

She could hear his voice through the thick metal door of the isolation chamber. She knew him far too well not to notice that he didn't believe a single word she had said. He probably thought it was a trap. At least that's what her Jack might have supposed. Her Jack. God, how she missed him.

It had taken her five months to figure out how that alternate reality traveling stuff worked and two more months to find a way to avoid the entropic cascade failure. Jeremy had helped her a lot; he was such a smart kid and understood quantum physics like other people understood how to turn on the TV. Meanwhile Daniel had all his teams searching for any hint of Jack, the Asgard, or anything else that might help them. But all teams came back empty handed. They'd found nothing.

Her life had been narrowed down to one aim. Bringing Jack back. She even quit the Air Force. Teaching at the Academy had taken away far too much time, precious time that she'd needed to work on getting him back. And it was easier this way anyway. The members of Earth's Stargate committee hadn't been too pleased about her military status while she was working at the ESGC.

During the last months, she'd worked 24/7 to find him. Daniel had sometimes threatened to drag her away from work, other times he had simply done it. She'd lost weight and Cassie had warned her several times that she would be force fed if she didn't eat. All in all, it had been Edora or Maybourne's damn moon all over again but, again, her hard work had finally paid off.

She was here. With Jack. The other Jack. Her heart was doing back flips at the simple sight, though her mind kept telling that it was the wrong Jack. Yet it was so hard; he was his usual stubborn self, refusing to believe her. The other her outside the door gesticulated to underline her point while the other Jack still looked unconvinced. Suddenly, the woman touched his cheek and smiled at him, followed by a soft kiss to defuse the last doubts he might have harbored.

The sight made her heart crumble, reminding her of why she was here, of all her regrets. Of never telling him what he meant to her. Of allowing it to stay in the room. Of how it felt to have her world torn apart the moment she had realized that she'd never said goodbye to him.

She knew, if she ever found him, she would tell him what she felt for him. Would tell him how sorry she was, how much she loved him. And, if he sent her away, she would say goodbye to him, wishing him well. It would hurt but, at least, she wouldn't have to carry those regrets. She hadn't done that the last time they had parted and it had nearly killed her.

Her memories of the time where she thought Jack to be dead were vague to say the least. But she knew what Cassie told her and that had been enough to scare the crap out of her. She knew she would've been able to deal with his death, if it hadn't been for all those regrets. She needed her chance to try to right the wrong.

The door flew open and the other Sam and Jack entered the room, both pairs of eyes never leaving Sam.

"So you said you needed our help. What for?"

Her eyes fell to her fingers, entwined on the table, and she felt him looking at her, boring holes into her as if to see whether she was really who she said she was. As if Doctor Warner hadn't already determined that. He had stuck enough needles into her to make for a good sieve. She knew this reality's Janet was still around but she couldn't have faced her. Not now, not here. The last thing she would've needed was to fall apart. And, so, she'd asked for another doctor.

"I need you to accompany Teal'c and myself home, into my reality."

"What?"

Both the other Sam and Jack had spoken at the same time, their eyes drawn to her.

"I know this does sound strange, but I need your help in contacting the Asgard."

"Who are the Asgard?"

Other Sam barely hid the curiosity in her voice and Sam felt that she might have found a way to reach her aim. These people obviously didn't know who the Asgard were. AND they still fought against Ra. Her face lit up as she smiled one of her most glorious smiles. She could see other Jack's defenses begin to crack under the radiance.

"Someone who might hold the means to defeat Ra."

--- --- --- --- ---

"You ok?"

Samantha Carter was looking at him with a worried expression. He had been given some strange looks and no one was overly friendly towards him, but they had not dared to do anything else. Those people here had obviously never seen him before, so this reality's Teal'c might still be Apophis' first prime. He could understand their fury and their need to gain information from him, but there was nothing he could have told them.

This reality could be completely different from his. His alternate self could probably be a farmer on Chulak or he could have never been born. What could he have told his interrogator? The woman in front of him was still watching him with caution.

"I am all right. Has O'Neill agreed to help us?"

"I think I've convinced him. Come on. You must be starving."

He inclined his head and followed on her heels as they walked out of the holding cell under the mindful eyes of some SFs escorting them on their way. He couldn't resist throwing the airman standing on watch before his cell a look and he had to hide a smile when the young soldier started shivering. Silently, they walked through the floors of this reality's SGC. Every now and then, they passed some soldiers watching him with a wary eye. What interested him greatly was the muttered "Colonel O'Neill" when Samantha Carter walked past the airmen.

They had explicitly been searching for a reality in which O'Neill was as close as possible to their own reality's. And, in this reality, Samantha Carter was obviously married to Jack O'Neill. There was no other explanation for the behavior of the airmen. So, if this O'Neill was close to their own O'Neill and this one was married to Samantha...

His thoughts were interrupted when they pushed the doors of the commissary open and all heads turned towards them. They loaded their trays with nourishment and settled at an empty table. Still, several pairs of eyes were resting on them and it did not help much that only a short time later they were joined by this reality's Carter and O'Neill.

"Mind if we join you?"

"Go ahead."

He could hear the tension in Samantha Carter's voice and he was sure that it didn't escape the couple that now took their seats next to them. Samantha O'Neill sat down next to him and O'Neill across from her, next to Samantha Carter. Teal'c could see the look the couple threw each other over the rims of their coffee cups. They felt uncomfortable and he could only too well imagine what they might feel. As silence settled between them, Teal'c felt, for the first time in his life with the Tau'ri, disturbed by the fact that no one was talking. Indeed, the entire commissary seemed to have fallen silent.

"So... you didn't mention why you couldn't ask 'your' Jack to contact the..."

"The Asgard."

"Yeah, thanks Sammy. So, Carter, why didn't you?"

Samantha Carter looked at O'Neill with shaded eyes. Teal'c could see that she didn't want to answer this question and he took over the task.

"O'Neill disappeared seven months ago. We believe that he has been abducted. Our attempts to locate him have been fruitless and now our only means to ascertain his location is through the help of the Asgard."

O'Neill glared at him and Teal'c knew without a doubt that this O'Neill didn't trust him a bit. At the same time, he felt Samantha Carter thanking him silently, her hand reaching over the table to squeeze his lightly.

"I can't imagine how you must feel. I couldn't stand to lose Jack. He's my life."

Samantha O'Neill smiled at her twin with one of those warming smiles that Teal'c knew how to interpret pretty well. She understood the motivation of Samantha Carter and her distress. She would most certainly help them to reach their goal.

And, if Samantha O'Neill was on their side, O'Neill couldn't stand a chance. At least, not as long as this O'Neill was really like their own.

--- --- --- --- ---

"Be careful."

"As usual."

She smiled at him and his heart skipped its usual beat. Even after four years of marriage, she was still able to do that to him. He'd never been so happy to have his knee shot to pieces, taking him out of active duty.

"I love you, Jack."

"Love you too, Sammy. C'mere."

She snuggled herself into his arms and he buried his face in her neck, taking as much of her scent in as possible. Her warm breath tickled his ear when her voice whispered softly, "Bring him back."

Pulling back slightly, he looked into those wonderful baby blues.

"Will do."

They shared one last kiss before he turned around to face the pained gaze of Carter and the stoic expression of her silent companion.

"Let's move out, campers."

Both nodded and the Jaffa seemed to fall into some kind of trance. Just moments later, he nodded at Carter and she motioned for Jack to go. Taking one last look at his wife, he stepped through the Gate. The familiar journey through the Gate was unexpectedly strange. The darkness changed to a multicolored rush, all colors melting into one. Just seconds later, he stepped out of the Gate to be greeted by the usual gray SGC walls.

But, as his eyes scanned the room, he found that, apart from the walls, it looked different from his reality. There were no guards aiming their guns at him AND there was a familiar person standing at the foot of the ramp that wouldn't be standing there in his SGC.

"Welcome back. I see everything went as planned."

"Yeah. Good to see you, Daniel."

Jack had been so distracted by the younger man that he hadn't even noticed Carter coming through the Gate until he heard her voice directly next to him. She stepped down the ramp and hugged Daniel briefly. The blue eyes of his old friend were still fixed on him and he felt his eyes stinging with tears. Daniel was alive. He hadn't been prepared for that. His Daniel had died three years ago and he felt the pain rushing through him as he watched this Daniel stand there, joking with the Jaffa.

Daniel had been his best friend, despite him being an archeo-whatever. On Abydos, Daniel had saved him from Ra's clutches. They'd blown up the ship, but Ra had been able to escape. Somehow that guy seemed indestructible. They had killed so many other Goa'uld, some major System Lords even, but Ra was still alive.

Ever since their return from Abydos, Kawalski, Daniel, and Jack had been a close-knit unit. When Sara had left him, those two had been there to help him up. And, when Daniel had done the glowfish thing the first time around, he'd helped Sha're through the aftermath, as he did the second time as well. Only the second time, Daniel hadn't come back. And, now, there was Daniel. Laughing, joking, breathing.

Telling himself to get a grip, he stepped down the ramp to where Daniel and Carter were talking silently. When he reached the base, Daniel looked up at him, a huge smile covering his face.

"Hey Jack. Good to see you."

"You can't even imagine."

With that, Jack pulled Daniel into an embrace. God, he had missed him. And, even though he wasn't his Daniel, he still was a Daniel and, as far as he knew, he was still a friend.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I'm so sorry."

Jack hadn't even the slightest idea what Daniel was talking about but, at the moment, he didn't really care.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**

A/N: Thanks a lot for all those wonderful reviews. You guys are great.


	9. Old Friends

**--- --- Old Friends --- ---**

"Cass?"

Jack's face as he was seated on the infirmary bed was priceless. The look of total confusion, surprise, and disbelief was the typical Kodak moment where you found yourself wondering where you'd left your camera. Obviously, in this Jack's reality, she wasn't a doctor.

"Jack, I need to get some blood samples, run some blood work, yadda, yadda. I suppose you know the drill."

He grimaced as he scooped up his sleeves and Cassie smiled at him softly, reminded of the occasions when she'd seen her mother treat Jack.

"Yeah, ram that huge honkin' needle into me. I'm sure your mother's pretty proud of you. By the way, where's the tiny dictator?"

Cassie's smile faded momentarily and she felt the blood drain from her face. Her hand shook slightly and she put the needle she'd already been holding down on the tray.

"Cass, you ok?"

She heard the warmth in his voice and the pain she had felt at the mention of her mother was eased slightly. Her nerves had been on the edge for so long now and hearing Jack's voice again asking for her mother was simply too much to bear. Even if it wasn't her Jack. She felt his soft touch on her arm and looked up to meet his worried brown eyes.

"Yeah, it's okay. It's just... Mom... she died twelve years ago. She was shot by a staff weapon on a mission while she was trying to save a wounded soldier."

Her voice trembled only slightly but, as she felt his arms enveloping her, she couldn't help but shedding a few tears.

"Hey Cassie, how's it goi..."

Sam's footsteps stopped. "What's wrong?"

Cassie pulled herself out of Jack's arms. She brushed the tears quickly away and forced a smile on her face.

"I was just about to torture Jack with some of his beloved needles. Wanna join in?"

"Ahw, come on. I won't let Carter anywhere near me with a needle in her hand. Believe me, I've seen what she can do with these things, well the other her, and it's not pretty."

This time, Cassie's smile was genuine as she pushed the needle into his arm. He didn't even notice.

--- --- --- --- ---

He looked at her with wide eyes, fiddling curiously with the stone-like device in his hands. His hair stuck out in thousand different directions, oozing that wonderful boyish charm that seemed to surround him wherever he went.

"The only thing I need to do is touch that device?"

Sam smiled at the barely hidden disbelief in his voice but he did as he had been told. He was so similar to her own Jack that it was hard to believe it wasn't him. A soft buzzing sound emerged from the white device in his hand.

"And what now?"

"We wait."

"You mean, we do nothing, simply sit here, twisting our fingers?"

"Yep, that's about it. The Asgard need at least a few hours to get here; there's nothing we could do to speed that process up."

He nodded and ran his hand through his hair in the way he did when he was thinking. She shook her gaze loose from watching him, wondering what the hell she was doing. He wasn't him. He was not her Jack. Her Jack was out there, needing her help. She didn't even know this Jack and, to top it, he was married. She felt her breath catch in her throat. She needed to get away from him, out of the mountain.

Without another word, she turned around and walked towards the door.

"Hey, Carter. Where ya goin'?"

Pain shot through her at the word. Carter. He always said that. He never called her Sam. She guessed it was a method of self protection, to show himself that she was not 'Sammy'; still, she felt like crying every time he called her Carter.

"I need to finish some work. If you'll excuse me."

She didn't turn around to look at him when she answered. Her feet moved nearly out of their own accord as she fled the room in a hurry. When she'd seen him in that other reality, she had known this would be hard on her though she hadn't been able to imagine just how hard. Now, she looked at him and her heart almost collapsed on itself. But he was not him, she reminded herself fiercely. She'd allowed herself to see more clearly about her feelings for him, her Jack, during the last months of his absence and now the other Jack evoked the too long hidden feelings.

She knew now that she'd fooled herself with Pete. At first, she'd just thought that it was the guilt she felt about Jack's death, leading her to believe that she was still in love with him. But, then, as the days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, she had realized that it wasn't guilt. It was love. As simple as that. Love. A feeling she'd obviously never had for Pete, as ugly and heartless as it sounded. They had signed the divorce papers some weeks ago.

And, now that she was faced with seeing Jack again but unable to tell him how she felt, unable to touch him, to feel him... It was hard. For the first time, she thought, she could understand what Doctor Carter had felt when she'd seen her Jack, the perfect image of a man she'd lost just hours ago. The gray ESGC walls blurred as she rushed towards her old quarters. Daniel had felt the need to assign them to her again as she'd seldom left the base. For all she knew, it could still be winter outside and the darkness and cold would serve her well.

--- --- --- --- ---

Daniel had been there long enough to hear the last words of their little exchange. He could see the sign of tension in Jack as she left so abruptly. Luckily, the lab had two doors. Otherwise, she would have stumbled directly over him, leaning at the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Don't. She'll be okay."

Jack stopped dead on his way to go after her and turned around. His eyes went wide as he looked at Daniel but the look of surprise soon melted into frustration.

"I don't know what I did. She just..."

He sat down on a chair, kneading his fingers through his hair. Daniel found himself once again reminded of his Jack and how similar those two were. God, he hoped the Asgard could help them find him. All other options had already been exploited and losing him was just not possible.

"You didn't do anything," Daniel offered. The confusion on Jack's face made Daniel's lips twist in a smile. His body and his nerves screamed for the beverage he was so addicted to and he crossed the room quickly to help himself to a cup of coffee. Sam always had some going; he knew how much she'd needed it through the last hard months when he had to pull her out of the lab quite regularly. Only one more reason to find Jack.

"You want one?"

"No, I just... I don't know."

Daniel handed him a cup, despite Jack's refusal. He sat down on another chair, watching Jack warily over the rim of his mug.

"This has been hard on her. And you're so much like him, you know."

"Yeah, I couldn't stand a life without my wife. I already miss her. It's easier when Carter's around. She reminds me of her; they're very much alike. That's different than in the last reality we visited. They were married there, too, but..."

"Sam and Jack aren't married."

Jack's eyebrows shot up and his eyes fixed on Daniel's.

"Jack and Sam were forced to leave the SGC eight years ago when they decided to remove the military control of the ESGC. We all didn't exactly part on good terms. Sam and Jack haven't spoken to each other since he left. She feels guilty for that. She married after Jack left but it didn't work out. You know, she thought she'd lost Jack without ever telling him what she felt and now you walk around and..."

"I understand."

Jack's eyes fell down to his fingers, fidgeting with the coffee cup. His face was cryptic as usual and Daniel nodded more to himself than to anyone else.

They sat in silence for some time until Jack started to speak, his voice barely a whisper.

"And there I thought he was the lucky one. My world still fights against the Goa'uld, my wife still risks her life every time she goes through the damn Gate and I lost nearly every one I ever cared about. We lost General Hammond last year, Kawalski eight years ago, and you, well, our Daniel, died three years ago in an attempt to save Sha're."

Daniel fought back the flash of grief at the mention of his wife. Sha're. It had been so many years; still, it hurt to remember.

"Sha're's alive?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine. She stays pretty busy with their kid. He's quite a handful. The kid is so much like Daniel. He can be so annoying sometimes, rambling on about his latest dig in the garden. A few days ago, he found a fork and called to tell me about it. I told Daniel it would be bad to read the kid all that archaeology stuff as a bedtime story but did he listen to me? No, as usual. And then he went and left me to deal with this mess! At least I got mini-Dan interested in hockey."

A smile touched Daniel's lips at the thought of having a son. Well, now he had one. Jeremy. The kid was great and he could see why Jack had been so fond of him.

Giving this Jack a final squeeze on the shoulder, he stood up and left him to his own thoughts.

--- --- --- --- ---

A bright light heralded the arrival of a familiar visitor and Sam fingered the hem of her shirt nervously. Damn, but anticipation was a killer. She had to hold herself back with all force as the gray alien materialized.

"Thor, it is good to see you again."

Daniel darted out to greet their tiny friend, shaking his hand carefully. The huge black eyes seemed curious, as they searched the room, stilling on Jack's silent form in a corner of the room. Jack's wide eyes revealed an equal curiosity towards the alien and they roamed the figure from head to feet.

"Thank you, Daniel Jackson. It is most pleasant to see you again, though it is slightly irritating. Why did you contact us, O'Neill?"

"Ah, you see..."

He looked helplessly around for someone to bail him out of this predicament. Sam felt her heart clench as his gaze settled on her, those chocolate eyes begging her to help him. Her voice was shaking a bit as she finally answered Thor's question.

"It wasn't Jack who called you, Thor. I mean, it was. But we told him to. See, this isn't Jack O'Neill. I mean, he is. But he isn't the Jack O'Neill from our reality."

Great, Sam, she scolded herself. Way to go. There she was, a former Colonel in the USAF with a PhD in theoretical astrophysics and she couldn't even get a simple explanation out without babbling like a moron. Thor seemed to consider what he had just heard before his black eyes focused on her.

"I see. Where is O'Neill then?"

"We thought you might know. He was beamed away nearly eight months ago and we haven't been able to locate him. His body was replaced by that of a clone. Unfortunately, it took us some time to come up with a system that would allow us to travel realities in order to find this Jack O'Neill so that we could contact you."

Thor looked... shocked, at least Sam interpreted the expression that way. He had obviously no idea what she was talking about. Looks like the Asgard had nothing to do with Jack's disappearance, she thought to herself.

"This is disturbing. I will contact the Asgard home world to see whether they have any information about the whereabouts of O'Neill."

With another bright light, Thor vanished. All looked at each other, not sure what to think about this when Jack's voice pierced the room.

"So... that's an Asgard, huh? Didn't look that scary to me."

--- --- --- --- ---

"You're leaving?"

Jack would have known that it was her, even with all his senses rendered useless. He just knew it.

"Yeah. I did what I had to do, didn't I? Those gray thingies will find your Jack and everything will be swell."

He was standing with his back to her, packing the little belongings he had brought through the Gate in his bag. Her steps moved closer but she stopped some feet away.

His hand reached for the picture on the nightstand. It showed their wedding day. They were smiling at each other, each lost in the other's eyes. It was his favorite photo and he took it with him wherever he went. He must have been staring at it as he didn't notice her starting to approach again.

"You miss her."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Still, he chose to answer.

"Yeah. I do. Do you miss him?"

She looked uncomfortable for a moment and he saw the beginning of denial rising in her eyes, but she forced it back, leaving nothing but love shining through.

"I've never said goodbye to him, you know? When he left all those years ago, I assumed it was over. I saw it happening right in front of me. I saw the switch turning, I saw the hate and disgust when he looked at me. And I never told him how I felt."

"He knew."

Those wonderful blue eyes, so similar to those he'd fallen in love with, stared back at him, brimming with unshed tears. Her voice was but a whisper and her eyes fell back to the ground.

"I don't think so... I never... I married Pete and I never..."

The despair in her voice was too much for him to bear and he stepped closer to her, reaching out to lift her chin so she would have to look at him.

"Sam. He knew. Sammy and I, we served together on SG-1 for eleven years. Can you imagine? Eleven. Until, on that one mission, my knee was shot to pieces. Doc Frasier had quite a bit of puzzling to do. Through all of those years, believe me, I knew how she felt. Always.

You know, she dated Pete in my reality, too. They were engaged for nearly a year. She told me later that they simply hadn't been good together, that their characters were just too different. But, even during their engagement, I knew. I just thought that, maybe, he'd make her happy. But I knew it. I never admitted it to myself, but in the heart of hearts... And even when you thought you saw hate in there, I don't think I could ever hate her. Never. And hey, we're nearly identical. That's what you said, right?"

She sobbed quietly and he pulled her into an embrace. But he couldn't give her what she wanted. There was just one person in this reality who could do that and it wasn't Pete. She was still crying those wonderful head of hers off at his shoulder and he felt himself melting away. God knew, he missed his wife. But she would understand.

"Hey, tell you what. I'm not leaving, ok? I'll make sure you get your Jack back. Deal?"

He felt her nodding at his shoulder, the sobbing dying slowly down. Yeah, he would get her Jack back. That was the least he could do. After all, she'd given him the means of contacting the Asgard and possibly defeating the Goa'uld to find peace in his own reality.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	10. Sandrana

**--- --- Sandrana --- ---**

The red light of the nightsun was still high in the sky and a soft breeze blew over the land, rustling the small leaves of the Tarana trees that lined the alley leading to his house. He shivered slightly in the chilly breeze. The stars were barely visible in the red light and he wondered to himself whether there had ever been a time when he'd been able to see those sparkling dots clearly. During his time in the military, he had seen them more clearly but the huge red nightsun as well as the two daysuns had always kept him from seeing them without a sheet of dust. Yet, he had that strange feeling when he looked up at them; somehow he knew the stars better than he could, given his past experiences.

Sometimes, in his dreams, he saw the stars clearly, without the red dust covering them. But they weren't the same stars that shone dimly through the red nighttime Sandranan sky. In those dreams, he usually saw faces too. A dark-skinned man with a golden tattoo on his forehead, a brown-haired man with glasses, sometimes a boy with green eyes... but most of the time, he saw her. His brain told him that he didn't know her, he'd never seen her, but, in his dreams, he could see her as clearly as the stars. Blue eyes glowing under short strands of blonde hair, her face lightened by a radiant smile that seemed to warm him from within, making his heart beat faster.

"You're thinking of her again, Barol."

There was no need to answer. Tharyl knew him well enough to understand. They'd met some circles ago, both lonely, both seeking. They kept each other company at night, nothing more. He knew her heart belonged to someone else and she knew that he - there was no easy way to say it and, yet, it was so simple. He was in love with a dream.

"Have you found out who she is?"

"No."

Her arms encircled him from behind, drawing him to her. The familiar warmth calmed him and he felt himself relaxing into her embrace.

"You'll find her. I know it."

"What if..."

"No, she's not a dream. I know it. You should know it as well."

He nodded his head in acknowledgement though he had problems agreeing with her. What if she really was a dream? What if he'd never find her? A soft kiss on his neck made him shiver and, with an enormous act of willpower, he pushed the unpleasant thoughts away. Soon, Tharyl had him engaged in a different kind of game but all he could see was HER face.

Afterwards, as they lay close together, his hand drawing circles on her stomach, Tharyl smiled at him with one of those smiles that reminded him so much of HER.

"Was that her name?"

"What?"

"Sam, is that her name? You called it out, when you..."

Her voice faded and left the room in silence. Sam. He knew that name. The face popped up behind his closed eyes and he thought a moment about the new piece of information. Sam. Now the dream woman finally had a name. Sam. Slowly he drifted off to sleep. Sam.

--- --- --- --- ---

Sam nervously paced the bridge of the Asgard ship. The gray walls seemed to bury her and she had no idea what to do next. Thor had told her that it could take years to find Jack. He'd started to search this galaxy, but chances were Jack wasn't here. Fortunately, Thor hadn't even had to think about helping them. Though the Asgard Council had been reluctant to help them at first, Thor had been most persuasive. He'd convinced them that this was a good way to repay Jack's help. With a bit of help from Thor they'd remembered who'd solved the Replicator problem for them. Finally, they had agreed to send five ships. It wasn't much, but far more than Earth could've offered.

Daniel stayed on Earth. He would coordinate the SG-based search. Not that there was much of one. The Committee had agreed that they had already spent too many resources on finding one retired General, even if this general was Jack O'Neill. Yet, they couldn't force Daniel to give up the search. All teams that went out had the direct order to search for signs of Jack beneath their overall mission goals. Daniel would contact her should they find anything. She knew he wanted to come along, but he was needed on Earth. He had to be there for Jeremy. The boy had just started with college and he had a hard time adjusting.

Teal'c still led teams through the Gate. He had refused to return to Chulak, wanting to stay at the ESGC to make sure they were still searching. In fact, they were all doing what they had done since... But her job was done. She'd found the means to contact the Asgard. Now, all that was left for her was to assist Thor in his search. And, of course, there was Jack. Well, not her Jack, but the other Jack.

She'd told him to leave, that there was no need to stay for what could be years but he refused. He'd said that he would stay for as long as necessary. Now, he was just a few feet away in their on-board quarters. It only helped to make matters worse. The whole thing was so confusing.

"Samantha Carter."

Sam spun around as she heard the familiar voice behind her.

"I believe that we have found something."

Her heart skipped a few beats. They'd found... something. Willing herself to keep her hopes low, her breath caught in her throat as she tried to process what she'd just heard.

"What? Where?"

"We have just met a trader who is traveling through the galaxies. He told me that he had met a man who fits O'Neill's description on a planet called Sandrana. It will take us some time to get there. The planet's position is in the Cepheus galaxy."

Trader? Sandrana? All those things simply brushed past her. The only thing that sank in was that they had found him. They had really found him.

--- --- --- --- ---

Rivers of sweat ran down his temples, and he brushed a hand above his eyes. The salty fluid covered him and he stopped his work, blinking against the bright light. The second daysun had just come up and the temperature on the fields had risen to a nearly unbearable degree.

"Barol!"

The voice was familiar but not one he would have expected to hear, at least not here. When he turned around, he saw his old friend waving.

"Hey Karan. Whatcha doing here?"

The older man dropped the bag he had been holding and stepped closer towards him. He was looking very serious but Barol could already see the start of a smile on his lips.

"Just thought I'd try to drive you nuts."

"It's good to see you again, old friend."

Barol pulled Karan in a brotherly hug, slapping him on the shoulder in excitement. He hadn't seen his friend in months. Not since the end of the war. They'd fought at each other's side for as long as Barol could remember. Since their childhood, Karan had been directly next to him, always watching his six.

But the war had changed things. It had broken something in Barol. If it hadn't been for this last mission, he would probably still be a soldier but, the way it was, it had been too much to handle. Even today, he still saw the little blonde boy: screaming as his parent's blood pooled around his feet, his eyes wide and terrified as the fire surrounded him, burning him. After that, Karan's and his lives had taken different direction. Where Barol had decided to lead the calm life of a farmer in the hope to bury his demons somewhere in the ground, Karan had stayed in the military.

"It's good to see you, too. Life has been good to you."

"Yeah, that's the fresh air."

"And the good company. I met your mate."

A deeper shade of red flushed Barol's face but the dark, sun burnt skin disguised it successfully. He brushed one hand through his gray hair before he stepped past Karan. As much as he liked to see his old friend again, there was something in the violet eyes telling Barol more than he wanted to know. His brown eyes seemed to scan the horizon when, in fact, he tried to figure out what had brought Karan here. Finally, he felt the man behind him turn around.

"Karan. As much as I enjoy seeing you again, I don't think this is just a social call. Is it?"

"No. To be honest, it is not. But this can wait until I have had a drink."

Barol hesitated a moment but, then, turned around and smiled at his friend. "I have little to offer but there's always enough for a friend."

With a fluid movement, he took his comrade's heavy bag and led him towards the house. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear what his friend had to say. Karan had never been the bearer of good news.

--- --- --- --- ---

Sandrana was not like she had imagined it to be. Their own galaxy had been a peaceful place, at least as peaceful as it could get. Most of the worlds had started to explore the universe after the Goa'uld threat had been removed. Traders were traveling through the galaxy and the long-suppressed slaves responded willingly to their new possibilities. It was one of those traders that had brought them to Sandrana.

Sam hadn't even known that some of the traders traveled to other galaxies. They had been on the planet for two days, their search not going as well as she would have wished. The scars of a recent war covered the planet; she guessed it had been over some months ago. Bombed buildings and huge crates in the soil showed her only too well what had happened here, her soldier's mind leaving nothing to imagination.

They had found a hint that had brought them out of the main territory into some out-of-the-way hick town. A woman with golden eyes and white hair scanned the picture Sam was holding in her trembling hands. The dry voice, like the rustle of fall's leaves, made her jump and she focused her attention solely on the woman.

"I know this man; this is Barol."

The old woman nodded heavily, her gaze still fixed on the picture. Sam could have kissed her right then and there.

"And... Do you know where Barol lives?"

"Sure. Everyone does. Barol is a local hero. He lives outside the village on a Penga farm. Just follow that street. You can't miss it."

"Thank you so much."

The woman smiled at her and then walked away. Other Jack, as she had started to call him in her mind, stepped out of the house entrance he'd been hiding in, a huge smile spread on his face.

"It's him, Jack. We did it."

"Yeah, we did it."

His hand settled on her shoulder as they started to walk in the direction the woman had given them. For just one moment, she thought she heard him say something like 'It's too easy' but she refused to dwell on it.

The bright burning suns offered little shelter though they were already low in the sky. Sam pushed the shades up on her nose to shield them from the glow. Other Jack mirrored her movement and, simultaneously, pulled his cap deeper in his face. After all, those people seemed to know his face pretty well.

Now, she was glad that she persuaded Thor to stay for just a few more days. The DNA scan hadn't been able to place Jack on the planet and they were forced to use older methods of searching. But it seemed as if their search finally drew to an end.

The houses grew thinner as they walked the alley. Huge trees lined the cobblestone street. The planet was definitely not as advanced as she would have imagined, considering the way Jack had disappeared. If she had to guess, she'd say the planet was about Earth standard, maybe in the mid 50s. They hadn't started their exploration of space; at least there were no satellites in orbit. It wasn't like she had thought it to be. She had expected to find him locked away somewhere, in some fortress; instead, he was walking around, calling himself Barol and playing farmer.

Sickness started to twist her stomach as she remembered another time where he'd been playing farmer. The distinct feeling of foreboding settled in her, telling her that this wouldn't be as easy as it sounded. 'Ya think?', she asked herself, her mind doing a pretty good imitation of his best sarcasm dripping voice.

"Carter?"

Other Jack nudged her gently and she shook herself out of her musings. She hadn't even noticed how far they must have walked. The cobblestones had turned to gravel and the trees had thinned. They were standing in front of a small house that reminded her of Jack's former home in Colorado Springs. It was built of dark wood and natural stones that formed the L-shaped house with huge floor-to-ceiling windows lining one side.

She felt Other Jack's wary eyes watching her and she straightened her shoulders and took one last deep breath before they climbed the few steps leading to the door. With one last effort, she knocked.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	11. The Return

**--- --- The Return --- ---**

Karan looked at him with those careful eyes whose sharpness had saved Barol so many times during all of those years.

"Spit it out, Karan. What is it?"

"What do you know about the RFS?"

"The 'Revolutional Front of Sandrana'? Those guys are not exactly happy with the end of the war. They want the old regime re-established. You can't really blame them. The President hasn't been doing his job lately, has he? The farmers grow as much as they can but still the food doesn't seem to be enough. I'm not sure how he wants to get us through the next winter. Rumor has it that he's selling the food to gain wealth. I talked to a trader some months ago and he tried to assure me that it wasn't the case. We'll see, I suppose. But what has that to do with the RFS?"

Barol watched his friend with wary eyes. The other man approached in a stealthy way that showed his long military training. His eyes sized Barol up for a moment, until he started in a low voice.

"Everything I'm going to tell you has to stay in this room."

Karan waited until he signaled his assent and then continued, his voice so low it could have been a whisper.

"The President is not selling the food. It is a treaty that the President was forced to give in to. Not long ago, when the war came to an end, some human-like creatures allied with a mighty alien force threatened to enslave our planet. The President saved us by signing this treaty. I've worked under cover at the RFS. They've found out about this treaty and want to tell the people. Can you imagine the chaos that would arise? A friend whom I believed to be loyal blew my cover and now they're on my heels. I need your help. I'm not sure how many they've set on my trail. My guess is they'll be here this evening, maybe tomorrow. I know no one who flies a space fighter like you do. I need your help to escape."

"You have no right to ask that of me. I've got nothing to do with this any longer. I'm out of the business."

His voice barely hid the anger that was boiling inside of him. How dare he ask that of him, bringing him in on this one, the voice inside of him kept repeating. Unable to stand still any longer, Barol pushed himself from the counter of his kitchen and paced the room. He had left that life months ago. But he knew, no matter how angry he was he would eventually help Karan. He was his friend and he needed help.

"Barol. They've already found out who you are. They'll be here and whether they find me or not, they won't be too friendly to you. I'm sorry, but you're already in this."

"You don't know what you're asking of me."

He snapped back, a little sharper than he had wanted to. Karan had seen what he had seen. He should know why Barol was so hesitant to return. The look of absolute horror on the child's face...

"I am sorry, Barol."

Karan's voice sounded genuinely repentant and Barol let out a soft sigh. His friend had problems and needed his help. No matter what he did from now on, he was already in on this game of hide and seek.

"They'll be here in a couple of hours, huh? What about giving them a warm welcome?"

Leaving a relieved Karan behind, he made his way over to the small shed next to his house. The locked closet in there held all the things he despised. The things he had hoped to never bring to the light of day - or night - again. Yet he didn't really have a choice, did he? The RFS would kill both of them, should they ever find them. While he did what had to be done, he forced himself not to think of the people that would die and the families they would leave behind.

--- --- --- --- ---

Jack watched Carter knock a second time but still there was no answer. Maybe 'he' wasn't there, he thought to himself. He still had problems with that alternate reality crap. Carter knocked a third time and shook him out of his thoughts about this Sam and this Jack. He still wondered how the two of them had managed to keep apart for such a long time. Despite everything that had been standing in their way in his reality, he and Sammy had done it. But here, where both were free to do, as they wanted, they just kept apart from each other.

After a few minutes and no response to a fourth knock, he tried the handle only to find the door unlocked. He looked over at Carter and pushed the door open when she nodded 'yes'.

The door opened silently and Jack stepped carefully inside.

"Hello?"

Her voice echoed through the rooms but there was no answer. Slowly, he took another step into the house, calling out for someone to answer. The house was so similar to his own that he stopped for some seconds. Sammy had moved in with him directly after the knee incident. First, she'd simply watched out for him, played the nurse. They had followed the rules strictly, none of them wanting to spoil anything until the day of his retirement. Well, she had never moved out again.

"Home sweet home."

Carter simply gave him a look as she brushed past him. Obviously, impatience had gotten the better of her. The wooden floor squeaked under her weight and his heart stopped beating at that moment. His arm darted out to stop her.

"Don't move. Didn't you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Her nervousness was palpable and increasing, mirrored by a similar feeling in his own stomach.

"Didn't you hear the 'click' when the floor board squeaked?"

"'Click' as in...?"

"Yeah, Carter. 'Click' as in 'boom'."

Forcing himself to stay calm, he took some deep breaths. He was trained for this; he could do this.

"What now?"

Her voice was shrill, displaying the fear she normally hid so well.

"Stand still. And DON'T MOVE. That's an order, Colonel."

She stilled immediately, years of training kicking in. With a loud popping sound in his knee, he settled next to her. He started searching through his backpack as soon as he had unfastened it. Pleased to find what he had been looking for, he pulled out a knife.

Tremors shook her body as she strove to stand still. He used the knife to pry the next board over out of the floor, revealing a black hole underneath. A glimpse of metal caught his eyes and he felt his stomach turn to knots as he leaned into the hole to get a better look.

"What do you see?"

"It's a mine. It seems someone was waiting for us. Someone who doesn't want us to find him."

"Can you defuse it?"

Hell, had that been her voice? He had hardly seen her like that but, then, she probably didn't face death that often nowadays. From what he had been told, it had been years since she'd gone through the Stargate the last time.

"Jack?"

"I know the type and, yes, I can defuse it. But... Carter, I know the type because I invented it on a mission to Russia."

It took her some time to process his words, her face turning even paler.

"But why would he want to kill us?"

"I don't know. Hold your breath. It's been some time since I did this kind of thing."

"Well, thank you, Jack. That's a calming thought."

He snorted at her irreverence and searched his pack again until he found the right tools. With a flashlight in his mouth, he lay flat on the floor, directly in front of the hole. His hands shook slightly and he cursed himself for his own weakness when he should have been concentrating on defusing the mine.

His breath came out in small gasps and sweat started running down his temple from the effort of keeping his hands still as he cut some wires. When he cut the last, he let out a long breath. He had done it. He was already starting to get back on his knees, which took him so much longer nowadays, when from somewhere below him, he heard a soft 'click'.

"Get outta here."

He dragged her along as they both flew down the steps. They'd just reached the front door when, behind them, the house exploded with a loud 'boom'. The shockwave pushed them to the ground, heat flaring over them.

"You ok?"

His breathing was heavy and she nodded, too stunned to say anything. To be blown up had been the last thing he had expected. Damn. He should have figured that 'he' would do something like that. He would have done it if he wanted to get rid of someone. He should have seen the second circuit too, disguised by the first one.

"Why, Jack? Why did he do that?"

He saw tears rising in her eyes and he rubbed her back gently as they both sat up again. Behind them, the house was burning bright; the red flames melting into the red sky.

"I don't know, Carter."

--- --- --- --- ---

The darkness surrounded him and he stared unseeing into the vast expanse that was space. The three suns of the Sandrana system had long ago faded as their ship drifted like a fortress through the vacuum. He had no idea where Karan had found such a ship; it was unlike anything Barol had ever seen. Outside, he saw the stars sparkle just as he remembered them, without a layer of dusty light.

Tiny white dots burned themselves into his eyes and he felt his lids slid shut under their calming light. Exhaustion finally caught up with him; today's events bringing back a life that he had wanted to forget so dearly. The life of a warrior, a warrior doing unspeakable things for a greater good. The boy's face welled up inside of him and he shook his head furiously to get rid of the image. But he couldn't. Instead, his thoughts returned to what he had done today. He had sent those poor people to death. Once again, he had played God. He wasn't proud of what he had done but it was necessary to save a friend's life. They had left in such a hurry that he hadn't even had the time to say goodbye to Tharyl.

His mind refused to rest but his body won in this silent war. Sleep enveloped him slowly, offering him the gentle bliss of forgetfulness. First, he reveled in darkness but soon her - Sam's - face started to drift behind his closed eyes. Her face, glowing in the light of a red sun he had never seen. She was talking to him, fiercely making her point, though he couldn't hear her voice. Behind her, he could see smoke rising into the red sky. It spiraled up from the remnants of something he thought to be some kind of rocket.

Suddenly, the expression on her face changed, her hair plastered flat to her head from ounces and ounces of water that poured itself into a golden corridor. Her face showed fear as the water rose steadily. Soon, the water was too high for them to breathe and he saw her blurred features watching him through the cold water.

Setting changed again, her face was now smeared with dirt and grimacing in pain. The air was hot and hardly breathable. There were other people there but he didn't care. His eyes remained on her. Peripherally aware of a stabbing pain in his knee, all he could see was Sam's face. Her face as it shifted through hundreds of emotions and settings, each showing him a new fragment in the puzzle that she was.

Sometimes, he saw one of the other guys, but most of the time, it was just Sam. Then the four of them were all standing in front of a huge window. Strange symbols covered the walls in narrow lines. A big golden box was the center of the room, a smaller box standing directly in front of a triangular window. They were all wearing black clothes, her cute blonde locks covered by a black hat. Outside the window was a planet, not Sandrana, but strangely familiar. It shimmered blue in the darkness of space. His look once again settled on her, the blue eyes wide with shock. This wonderful mouth of hers started moving but, though he couldn't hear her voice, he knew instinctively what she was saying.

"Sir."

The word rushed through him. For some reason, he didn't like that word.

"Sir."

He saw the word on her mouth as he fell to the ground, a huge spacecraft flying over him. Detonations were exploding all around him and pain shot through him like fire. His chest felt like it had been hit by a Lamro deer. The pain grew more intense and, with a shock, he shook out of his sleep.

Everything had felt so real. So damn real. Unconsciously, he rubbed his hand over his chest. It still hurt. When he opened his shirt, he saw the huge scar exactly where the pain had hit him moments ago. Logic told him that he had gotten the scar when his training craft had crashed down, over thirty years ago. Still, his dream seemed to be far more real than reality.

"Barol? You ok?"

He was still panting but he managed a short reply to calm Karan who came rushing onto to the bridge at that moment.

"It's all right."

Sweat still poured down his face, and Barol brushed it away with shaky hands.

"Bad dream, huh?"

"Yeah."

Karan smiled encouragingly at him, understanding shining through his eyes.

"The war."

The statement hung for some time in the room and Barol nodded absentmindedly. Somehow, he didn't feel comfortable telling Karan the truth. The pictures he had seen were taken from a different war, though he wasn't sure whether he had ever participated in it.

When his heartbeat finally returned to normal, his gaze fell on the bridge's walls. He hadn't even noticed the golden symbols lining them before he fell asleep. The bridge looked, in fact, pretty similar to some of the rooms he had seen in his dream. He was sitting on one of two chairs, a red glowing ball in front of him.

When Karan had shown him the ship, he had found himself reaching out for the ball. Without conscious effort, he had known what to do with it, how to touch it to make the ship darting out into the pitch black darkness. Now, he wondered how he had known how to fly such a thing. The fighters he had flown for most of his life definitely used a different technique.

"Karan, who gave you this ship?"

His voice didn't even tremble as he watched his old friend warily. He could see Karan's shoulders straighten and heard the sharp intake of breath. Anyone else might not have noticed but Barol knew this man far too well. Karan's eyes narrowed on him and he could hear a hint of suspicion in his voice, belying his studied indifference.

"Why do you want to know?"

Barol shrugged as an answer, tying to brush it off like Karan did.

"Just curious. Dunno. The design looks familiar."

Next to him, Karan turned slowly around, the violet eyes solely focused on Barol. Suddenly, a flash illuminated those very eyes and his senses went into overdrive, all alarm bells ringing clearly. Out of the blue, he heard his mind screaming just one word. 'Goa'uld'.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	12. Doubts

**--- --- Doubts --- ---**

The smoldering remnants of the house were lit by a rather bright red moon, a soft breeze strengthening the fire every now and then. His arm pulled her closer as they watched the structure caving in. She shivered in the cold night, shock still coursing through her system.

The thought that he had done this deliberately to hurt her, froze her insides and turned her guts into one tight knot. He had known that she would come and he had wanted to kill her. Sickness started to twist her stomach and she tried to fight down the nausea that rose inside her.

"O'Neill?"

Thor's voice reached her from somewhere inside Other Jack's jacket and she watched as he fumbled with the zipper, pulling out the communication device.

"What's up, Thor buddy?"

"A cloaked Goa'uld vessel just left the planet. I have not been able to determine any life forms on board."

Her knees went weak under her as she realized what Thor had just said. Goa'uld. It was impossible. She had, herself, witnessed the fall of the Goa'uld, seen Anubis's end. The other Goa'uld hadn't been a problem. They had been weakened from their struggle with the Replicators and the fights between themselves. As a result, the rebel Jaffa had overthrown them relatively easily.

"I thought you'd kicked 'em outta here."

She shrugged in Other Jack's direction. How could she explain to him when she hadn't been able to make sense of it on her own?

"We thought we had."

The second part of Thor's message finally registered and it took her only a split second to put one and one together. They hadn't been able to detect Jack's DNA on the planet and Thor said that there were no life forms on the ship...

"Thor, beam us up. Are we able to follow the ship?"

"We are, Samantha Carter."

When they were finally on board, she felt the Asgard ship move. Hurrying towards the bridge, she knew Other Jack was waiting for her to explain but there were more important things to worry about right now. The doors slipped open when they approached, revealing Thor seated behind the control panel.

"Which course, Thor?"

"The momentary course of the vessel will bring us deep into the center of this galaxy."

She nodded breathless. Behind her, Other Jack shuffled nervously and she could directly see him pushing his hands into the pockets of his pants, like she had seen 'her' Jack doing so often - 'Her' Jack. Pain flashed through her at the thought of him. Although rationality tried to force her to see the truth, she couldn't break the feeling that he was trying to escape her, had tried to kill her, and she had no idea what to think about it, if anything at all.

She had spent the last umpteen months getting him back, while he was obviously once again pretty merry where he was, playing farmer like it was one of his favorite games and forgetting about anything else. Why did he always do that to her?

--- --- --- --- ---

"Take care."

He watched the holographic features fade, leaving nothing but bleak ESGC walls behind. Shock still coursed through him at what he had heard just seconds ago. Jack had tried to kill Sam, if it was Jack, and if the explosive was meant for Sam. The only evidence they were going on were the words of an old woman and gut feeling. And, now, Sam was a galaxy away, chasing a ship through space.

A Goa'uld ship. Just the word made his stomach twist painfully and long-forgotten feelings welled up inside of him. He'd witnessed the end of the Goa'uld and, somehow, again, they were rearing their ugly heads again. This time in a galaxy far away but, obviously, pretty much alive. Maybe it wasn't a Goa'uld. Maybe someone had just gotten his hands on a Goa'uld ship, he reasoned with himself. But, in his heart of hearts, he doubted it very much.

He should have known. These guys had a very nasty habit of returning from certain doom. How many times had they thought one of them dead only to find themselves eye to eye with said snakehead again? Damn it! He should have known. It had been too good to be true.

"Is there any news, Daniel Jackson?"

Turning around, he found Teal'c standing in the doorway. He liked having Teal'c around once again. They were a team again. Like they'd been in the old times. Since the end of the SGC, he had found himself missing their companionship, missing SG-1. Jack's 'death' had brought them together again and he hoped they would stay like that. He motioned for Teal'c to sit down on one of the chairs and sat down on the comfy leather chair that had, an eternity ago, belonged to Jack.

"They think they found him."

He explained what Sam had said only minutes ago, described what she had experienced on Sandrana and what she was about to do. Teal'c listened silently as Daniel spelled out the events, nodding from time to time. With a sigh, Daniel took his glasses off, his other hand pinching the bridge of his nose like he did when he had to think about something.

"I can't believe this is happening all over again, Teal'c. I thought we had defeated them. And I can't believe that Jack tried to kill Sam."

His voice faded as he thought about the situation. He wished there was something he could do.

"I do not believe O'Neill would hurt Samantha Carter deliberately. Maybe he did not know what he was doing. Maybe he has been taken over by a Goa'uld."

Daniel's head shot up. Why hadn't he thought about that possibility? If Teal'c was right... God, he wished he could contact Sam. If Jack really is a Goa'uld... at least that would explain his strange behavior. But what could the Goa'uld want from Jack that was worth crossing a whole galaxy for?

--- --- --- --- ---

Pain shot through him like lightning as darkness slowly subsided. He kept his eyes tightly shut until the pain faded, leaving only a throbbing ache in his head. Slowly, his memory returned: Karan's familiar eyes, glowing in a strange, white light, the Z-shaped snaky gun thing he had suddenly pulled out of his robes and pointed at Barol. He had been engulfed by blue lightening, pain shooting through him until he had passed out.

He opened one eye carefully and squeezed it immediately shut when he was greeted by a bright white light. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he pushed himself up and took a good look around. The walls of the rather small room were painted in a deep red. Bright white light fell through huge windows. Unfortunately, metal inlays covered the windows, letting the white fall through complicated patterns.

A moan escaped him as he rose to his feet and pain stabbed his knee where, memory told him, he had damaged it in the war, when a building had collapsed over him. But, at the same time, he clearly remembered jumping out of a flying object - a plane - his knee colliding heavily with the ground, the sheer power of the impact twisting it until a loud sound signaled the breaking of the weaker force, his knee.

The memories fought against each other, each seeking to overcome the other and his head spun with the colliding thoughts. He knew no longer which memory was reality and which was fantasy and the thought disturbed him greatly. He had finally lost it.

Forcing himself to concentrate on the heavy facts, he started counting points. He was Barol, citizen of Sandrana. His father had been a farmer, had shown him everything he knew about farming. With the age of seventeen circles, he had left home, seeking to find something he could identify with. Eight circles and a lot of trouble later, he had finally found it in the military and had stayed with that until this damn war had ended a few months ago.

The last remainder of dizziness left him and his thoughts started to clear. Those other memories were like the things he had dreamed of, just a figment of his too-vivid memory. Like her. It was time to face it. She was just fiction, nothing real, no flesh and blood. He found that it was easier to believe the truth without Tharyl's constant assurance that he wasn't nuts. She had been the one to tell him that those dreams were real. But to be away from her put things in a new light and made him see many more clearly.

His knee had been injured as some rocks of a collapsing building had fallen on him, trapping his leg under them and crushing it with their weight. And what was a plane anyway, he wondered.

His inner dialogue was interrupted as heavy metallic steps clanked in front of the massive wooden door. Seconds later, the door flew open and revealed big, really mean-looking guys, clad in metal armor with long stick-like things in their hands.

Soldier instinct kicked in and he knew immediately that these men weren't his welcoming committee. To be honest, they looked rather creepy. And those sticks didn't look too promising either. Somehow, he felt, he should stay away from those thingies.

"Our Queen requests your presence."

"Great. Tell her, she can stop by any time she feels like..."

Fast steps, belying the clumsy appearance of the guards, approached and, before he had even time to react, one of those sticks rammed itself into his right knee. He went to the ground, his lips pressed tightly together to suppress a scream. Two guards pulled him up again, his knee screaming at the movement as they dragged him out of the room and along long red corridors.

--- --- --- --- ---

Sleep refused to come to her that night. The soft background buzzing told her that the ship was still on course, following the Goa'uld ship into the heart of the galaxy. She couldn't even be sure that he was in there, though, somewhere deep within, a voice told her he was. But the main thing on her mind was the thought that he had wanted to kill her. She refused to believe that he had done that deliberately, only to hurt her. The last words of his letter still rang in her ears… 'God knows I always will…' and she couldn't believe that he'd written these words if he didn't mean them. Jack O'Neill never did anything he didn't believe in, even if it involved disobeying orders. At least, she was pretty sure she knew him that much. She berated herself for not trusting him. How egotistical of her to believe the act was aimed at her. He could have enemies, after all.

Another thought sprang to her mind and filled her with horror. What if he was a Goa'uld? She couldn't even begin to fathom what he would have to endure being caught in the worst nightmare possible. A silent tear ran down her cheek but she brushed it away quickly as she heard the man on the other bed across the room shift.

His steps approached her and she felt the mattress dip where he sat down. A hand settled on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze, his calming voice piercing the silence.

"It's gonna be ok, Carter. I promise."

"You can't promise that."

She was surprised at the sound of her voice, weak and husky. She leaned into his touch, her back resting against him as she instinctively pressed closer to the warmth he provided.

"I can and I will. We'll get him back and everything will be all right. Trust me."

When she nodded, he gave her shoulder one last squeeze and tried to pull away but her hand stopped him. Even if it wasn't her Jack, she needed someone to lean on right now. And he was the closest thing to her Jack available. He stopped and she could feel his hesitation before he held her hand closer.

"Move a bit, Carter. These Asgard beds are not exactly built for two."

He climbed in behind her, her back resting against his front. As if they had already done this a thousand times, his arms snaked around her, pulling her against him, hands resting on her stomach. But, then, this Jack had done it, a thousand times.

"Sleep now. You'll need the rest."

His breath tickled her ear as he spoke and she snuggled even closer to him. She listened to the beating of his heart for a while, the soft steady rhythm soothing her into sleep and, for the first time in too many years, she felt safe and content that everything would turn out right in the end.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	13. Awakening

﻿ **--- --- Awakening --- ---**

SG-36 had brought back some very interesting news. This particular team specialized in tropical planets and had been sent to a destination on the outer arms of the Milky Way. And, although Daniel wanted to stay at the ESGC to be present should some news about Jack arrive, he still had a job to do.

In this case, the job was to go to P5X-359, the tropical planet in question, and sign a treaty with the indigenous people. Their culture was very advanced and, as Earth still did, they had once exploited the planet's natural resources. During some period in their history the Goa'uld laid claim to their world wanting to mine the naquadah that the planet held in great amounts. But the Ordig'na had fought the Goa'uld successfully and their out-of–the-way location seemed to have protected them from other oppressors.

Over the years, the Ordig'na had found a way to allow their ozone layer to be re-established and most of the planet was now covered with a wonderful rainforest producing fresh air. This chance was too good to let it go unused.

So, Daniel went. To be honest, what else could he do? Jeremy was in California, at college, and Sam was God-knew-how-many light-years away. He could do nothing but sit around, waiting for them to come home. Of course, he had left instructions to contact him should any news reach the ESGC but, even so, he felt as if he was letting his friends down. But any hesitation was soon overcome as Daniel stepped through the Gate, even though the worry remained.

The planet was as wonderful as Daniel had assumed from the descriptions of SG-36. A thick green forest greeted him as he exited the Gate on the other side. It had been some time since Daniel had last made a journey through the Stargate and he found his head spinning slightly. A small man, no taller than a child, who wore, to Daniel's utter surprise, something similar to a suit, stepped towards him and bowed slightly.

"Doctor Jackson? I'm Tel'reol. I was sent to take you to the council."

"Hello, Tel'reol. I'm honored to be here and to speak with your council."

Tel'reol inclined his head in acknowledgement of Daniel's words and turned around while he made an inviting gesture with his hands, leading Daniel's gaze towards the trees. Thick trunks rose far into the sky, their massive branches carrying the green canopy. Somewhere in between soil and leaves, tree houses rounded the stems. The different trees were connected by a complicated system of bridges and ladders. Right now, Daniel was standing on a huge platform in whose center the Stargate had been positioned. Several bridges led away from the platform and he followed Tel'reol as he started towards one of them.

"This is amazing."

"You've seen nothing, believe me."

Daniel was inclined to agree. Before him, he could see nothing but houses, some of them twenty or more stories high. It seemed as if the whole planet was one big city, at least it looked like that from where he was standing. As they walked through the net of bridges, Daniel was amazed to find new wonders wherever he looked. The journey through the trees and houses revealed new things at each corner.

Juicy scents and colorful dress greeted him wherever he set foot. If there was any kind of heaven, Daniel was sure he had reached it. Finally, they stopped in front of one of the biggest buildings that was buzzing like a bee-hive full of suited men and women.

It was times like these that Daniel loved his job.

--- --- --- --- ---

A soft familiar body was pressed against him when he awoke and he squeezed her tighter, relishing the feeling of her in his arms. He was engulfed in her warmth. God, he'd never get tired of waking up next to her. He bowed down a bit and placed a line of soft kisses on her neck. Her breathing changed. She was waking up and he continued his ministrations. Suddenly, she stiffened in his arms and he knew something was off.

And then, he remembered, the impact knocking the breath out of his lungs. He jumped to his feet as if she had a contagious disease and he backed away until he felt the wall behind him. She turned slowly around, her blue eyes fixed on him.

"Geez, Carter, I'm sorry. I thought you were - I'm so sorry."

With one quick step to the side, the gray doors slid open allowing him to escape. He hurried blindly through the corridors of the Asgard ship until he collapsed in a dark room, his eyes fixed on the moving stars outside. He had just kissed Carter. He'd mistaken her for his wife. How could he have been so foolish to assume that he had everything under control? Those two were so similar to each other.

And he had just... God, this wasn't fair to any of them. He had to stay away from her. He had promised her to find her Jack and he had every intention of living up to his word. But he couldn't allow her to get as close. From now on, she had to be nothing than Carter to him. The occasional lapse to Sam did none of them any good. She was Carter, his 2IC, nothing more. He owed it to her, to both of them, to treat her like he would have treated any other soldier. But despite his brave oath, he wondered whether he would be able to slip into this particular role again.

A strange, screaming noise suddenly filled the rooms of the ship but Jack had little doubt what that sound meant. He was on his feet as fast as his knee allowed and hurried towards the bridge to find out what that alarm was about. When he reached the bridge, he nearly collided into her. Obviously, she had come to a similar conclusion as she greeted him with a firm 'Sir'.

"What's up, Carter?"

"The vessel went into orbit around that planet. We don't know whether someone has been transported to the surface but another Goa'uld ship's approaching our position. We're cloaked so they shouldn't be able to detect us..."

Another beeping joined the first and Jack looked quizzically up to find Carter leaning next to Thor, both watching the panel warily.

"They're hailing us."

"Carter, I thought you said that..."

"I know, Sir."

"So... lucky guess?"

She shrugged shortly and then pushed some buttons. The face of a dark-haired woman appeared on the translucent screen, a smile twisting her lips.

"Please don't fire your weapons. I'm a friend of... Barol? I thought they had taken you."

The golden eyes fixed on him through the screen. He remembered having heard that name. That was what the old woman on Sandrana had said when she had seen the picture. When Carter coughed slightly, he noticed that the woman was expecting an answer.

"Ahh... yeah... they had, but I escaped."

"I'm so glad that I've found you."

He was unsure how to answer and the woman obviously felt his unease. Her eyes traveled further until they settled on Carter and then widened for one moment in disbelief. But the look of horror was soon brushed away by something else. He was sure he'd seen the switch in her head flipping. So, when she spoke again, it wasn't to him.

"I assume you are Sam. My name is Tharyl. Would you allow me access to your ship?"

--- --- --- --- ---

He was pushed into the throne room and stumbled a few steps towards the huge golden throne, resting on a dais in the otherwise red room. His knee still screamed at each movement and he quickly checked it for any further damage, when a strange voice addressed him from behind.

"I see my Jaffa hurt you. They will be punished. Follow me, Barol."

A woman stepped past him and Barol's heart stopped beating that very moment. Deep blue eyes watched him warily under silky, blonde strands of hair. A light blue dress was wrapped delicately around her shoulders and fell softly over her hips to her bare ankles and feet. Gracefully, she stepped onto the dais and sat down on the golden throne with one fluid movement.

"Come, Barol. I will not hurt you. Do you know who I am?"

Though Barol wanted to scream, to shout her name, he heard a voice in his head telling him to be careful. Telling him that it was not her. It was not Sam. He hadn't been able to hear her voice in his dreams but he was sure that her voice didn't sound like that. This voice was unlike any other he had ever heard. It was not human and that made him shiver slightly.

"You do not know your Goddess?" The strange voice held vague surprise. "I am Indra."

He moved as if in trance, as if the name had triggered a switch in his head. Without volition, he stepped forward and kneeled down despite the ache that shot through him instantly. Indra. He knew the name. Indra was their Goddess. She was their creator, their light.

"Forgive me, my Goddess. I didn't recognize you."

A hollow laughter echoed through the room and he felt her eyes on him, though he couldn't see them. His head was still bowed in a show of submission.

"How could you? Stand up, Barol. Karan had the order to bring you here. I am sorry that he hurt you. He has already been punished for his actions."

Barol rose hesitantly to his feet though he still feared looking at her. He knew her. She was his Goddess. Yet he felt as if this wasn't right. And, with each beating of his heart, the warning voice inside of him screamed louder.

--- --- --- --- ---

Teal'c looked up into the night sky. Only a few stars lit the dark expanse and reminded the observer of the planet's position at the outer territory of the galaxy. Ishta turned slightly in his arms, her eyes watching him warily.

"So, the Goa'uld have returned."

He stared for some time into the depth of her brown eyes before he inclined his head. He had returned to Chulak yesterday. There was nothing he would have been able to do on Earth and Daniel Jackson had assured him that he would be informed should any news arrive.

Ishta had thought it would be nice to spend the few days they would have together, especially now that the old enemy seemed to rise again. This planet was an old Goa'uld mining colony that was now used by the Tau'ri. But, as the mines were placed several clicks away, few people came here. Ishta and Teal'c had come here a few times, usually when they had needed time to think and now was such a time.

"What will we do?"

"As far as we know, they concentrated their forces on the Cepheus galaxy. In order to reach our galaxy, they would need a great amount of time. It is highly unlikely that the Goa'uld brought O'Neill into that galaxy. Maybe they are now allied with a mightier force. At the moment, there is nothing to do but to wait for a message from the Asgard."

Ishta nodded and a smile twisted her face.

"This means we will have some time for us?"

"It does."

With that, their lips met and Teal'c's sad thoughts faded. Tomorrow was early enough to worry about the Goa'uld. At the moment, there was nothing he could do, except to concentrate on the woman in his arms that he hadn't seen for months now. Her hands ran over his body eagerly and he surrendered instantly.

The fire next to them was burning bright into the starlit darkness when suddenly something caught Teal'c's attention. With a display of sheer will, he forced himself to concentrate for one second on the nightly sky instead of the warm body under him. For a moment, he didn't even notice what was wrong until it hit him with a force. On Earth or Chulak, the sky was seldom dark. But here, without any light sources but the small fire, the sky was pitch black. Only, it was not. The horizon seemed to burn, red flickering light licking up into the dark.

He knew the sight. He had seen it far too often. Something in the distance was burning, something very large. As he shot to his feet, he felt his stomach already start to twist painfully. Whatever would await them at the horizon, it would not be good.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**

A/N: Thank you so much for all those reviews. They really make my day. I wish I could hug each and every one of you, but as long as I can't you'll have to be satisfied with my gratitute.


	14. Fate Strikes

**--- --- Fate Strikes --- --- **

The moment the dark-haired woman stepped onto the bridge, Sam felt every single nerve in her body tingle. There was just something about that woman Sam didn't like, though she wasn't sure what it was. Anyhow, she was glad that Thor had checked her for weapons or anything that might be harmful to them. The woman moved across the bridge in fast steps, her way leading directly to J... the Colonel.

She'd been so foolish to allow herself to get that comfortable in his presence. Truth be told, she had liked waking up next to him, his kisses pulling her out of sleep. And, for one moment, all she had wanted to do was turn around and kiss him back but then she'd opened her eyes and she'd seen the walls. Gray Asgard spacecraft walls. And she'd remembered. Remembered that he wasn't Jack. And she shouldn't have let herself believe he was in the first place.

Sam was shaken out of her thoughts as the woman, what was her name again? Tharyl. She grabbed the Colonel and planted a kiss on him. Sam could directly see him stiffen and back up the very second her lips touched his and the woman's golden eyes went wide in surprise.

"Barol? What..."

Her voice faded as she watched the look of confusion on the Colonel's face and Sam saw pain flash through the woman. Tharyl's eyes darted between Sam and the Colonel and then fell to the ground. Though Sam wasn't sure what she had just witnessed, she motioned towards a table that had been set up in one corner. There were a couple of questions she wanted to ask.

"Tharyl, would you sit down? We'd like to ask you some questions."

The woman inclined her head and, climbing shakily off the deck, started off towards the table, where the four of them were soon seated. Before Sam was able to ask a single question, the woman started speaking in her singsong voice.

"For eight years now, ever since she came down from the sky, I've been working as lady's maid for Indra. She claims to be a Goddess, though I know she's not. I've seen the things she does. Terrible things. Indra, my beloved Goddess, wouldn't do that. She made the people believe she was Indra, coming down from heaven to guide them. She has made her home on this planet close to the galaxy's center. The whole planet is now a fortress.

They brought Barol to Indra's fortress eight months ago. He was there for four months and was brought back to Sandrana afterwards to work as a farmer. The only thing Indra told me was that he had been given a new memory and she sent me to make sure he wouldn't regain the old memory."

Tharyl stopped for one moment and drew one shuddery breath. Her eyes quickly glanced over the Colonel and then returned to Sam. And, suddenly, Sam understood. She understood the pain she'd seen just moment ago. This woman loved Barol. Despite herself, she felt her heart went out for the hurting woman and, when she started speaking again, Sam smiled at her encouragingly.

"But he did. He had dreams. I told him to believe in those dreams but a few days ago, Karan showed up. He's one of Indra's head-hunters."

Sam watched as tears rose in the woman's golden eyes that were now settled firmly on the Colonel.

"I thought they had taken you. But, instead, I see, you've found what you were looking for. I'm glad you've found her."

In spite of her earlier dislike, Sam felt that Tharyl's worry was genuine and she was inclined to believe her. One look into those sorrowful eyes showed her enough to make her explain about Jack and the Colonel.

"Tharyl, this man is not Barol. I know he looks like him but he's not him. Now, where would they take Barol?"

Golden eyes widened in shock and confusion at the latest revelation, but Tharyl soon found her equilibrium. Her voice was still weak when she told them what she knew.

--- --- --- --- ---

"We are glad that you agree to the terms of the contract, Doctor Jackson."

"I am sure that Earth and Ordig'na will both profit from the trade between our worlds."

Ge're'na smiled at him and held her hand out to seal the treaty. Daniel was pleased with himself. The treaty would bring good to everyone.

"To celebrate the coalition of our planets, I would like to invite you to take the meal with us. I would be happy to show you more of our world."

"Sounds great. I'm very interested in how your culture has changed since the days that you lived on the ground."

She led him out of the room and into one of those amazing elevators. They were able to transport the car over thirty stories high without using any metal components. He could directly hear Sam screaming in delight at the sight. Sam... It had been four days since his arrival on Ordig'na and, so far, no news had reached him from either the Cepheus galaxy or Earth. To be honest, he hadn't had much time to think about his friends as the discussions had started early each day and lasted well into the night.

But, finally, it was done. The elevator descended quickly and, for the first time in four days, they left the building to step out onto one of the platforms.

"Follow me, Doctor Jackson. Lar'na serves the best dishes around here. I am sure you will be pleased by his skills."

Daniel answered the smile on the woman's face with one of his, and followed her through the busy streets. Life was pulsating in every corner of this breathtaking city and he found himself reminded of his years in Cairo with its labyrinth of streets that were bursting with people. The heat did it's best to add to that effect. He was led to a smaller building, erected around a tree a little bit apart from the lively streets. Outside the building were several tables, shaded by the leaves above.

They had just settled at one of those tables when a strange noise emerged from somewhere behind the city. It took Daniel some moments to place the sound. He hadn't heard it in ages, but, as he realized just what the sound meant, his blood ran cold in his veins.

Only seconds later, he saw the first of the Death Gliders appearing above the thick canopy that covered the city. He was on his feet in a matter of seconds, dragging Ge're'na next to him under the table.

"These are Goa'uld Death Gliders. Do you have any means of defending yourself?"

He nearly screamed above the noise of now three Gliders firing into the net of houses, trees, and bridges. Screams filled the air and, soon, the first trees and buildings caught fire. From one minute to the next, the place had changed from the picture of life and happiness to an image of destruction.

"No. We haven't had the need for defenses in many years. We thought the Goa'uld were gone."

It took him only a second to make a decision. Those people were helpless in the face of such a threat. There was only one way to help them. He dragged the small woman along towards the platform where he knew the Stargate had to be.

--- --- --- --- ---

The meal was delicious and Barol leaned back, thoroughly sated. Indra smiled at him over the bowls and plates arranged on the low table before she leaned back to relax into the mounted pillows as well. As far as he could figure it, he'd been here for a couple of days and, so far, she had showed him nothing but respect and kindness. He'd been able to fight the warning voice inside of him down to a murmur still he refused to relax completely.

"My Queen Indra, forgive my impatience, but I still want to know why I am here. Don't get me wrong, I'm honored..."

"But you want to know why I asked for your presence."

He nodded and he saw her blue eyes narrow on him. Over the days he had spent with her, he had come to the conclusion that 'Sam' didn't exist. He had always seen his Goddess in his dreams and it had been Tharyl that had fooled him believing he had seen anything else. Yet, the strange voice inside of him refused to keep quiet and continued gnawing at his insides. Sometimes, he felt like he was torn in two, one side of him living in this reality and one side wanting to stay in his dream world.

"How much has Karan told you about the treaty your President has signed?"

She smiled as she saw the surprise in his face.

"He said that, some months ago, there had been an alien force threatening to overtake Sandrana if he would not surrender. The President had no chance but to accept the terms of their contract."

"So far, Karan was right. What he did not know is that this power has now reached the inner regions of our galaxy. To be honest, one of their ships has taken position over this planet. And, now, your Goddess needs your help to protect our galaxy."

His heart leaped with joy at her words. His Goddess asked for his help. He pushed back the 'other one', the voice inside of him that asked constantly whether a 'Goddess' shouldn't be able to overthrow the enemy alone.

--- --- --- --- ---

The mines were burning brightly, red fire tongues licking into the dark night sky. In the dim light, he hardly saw the last Death Gliders disappearing into space but he would have known the sound of their engines anywhere. It was only a matter of time before the Stargate in the center of the encampment would spring into life and dozen of Jaffa would step through.

"Ishta, activate the Stargate."

He need not have worried; she was already on her way when he turned around. She had experienced her share of invasions and knew what was happening next. Somewhere above him, he saw the light of a descending mother ship and he sped up. The sound of metal clad boots could already be heard when he reached the mines and ushered the surviving personnel towards the Gate. Ishta had dialed Earth's coordinates and he waited impatiently until the last civilians had stepped through. The ground next to him suddenly exploded as a staff weapon blast, aimed at him, hit it.

Before he dove into the shimmering blue event horizon, he saw a troop Jaffa, marching in his direction.

"Close the iris!"

His voice echoed through the embarkation room as soon as he stepped out of the Gate. He saw the technician who controlled the Gate searching nervously until he found the switch that would close the iris. It had been several years since this particular security measure had last been used but, finally, the metal cover slid shut over the event horizon.

"What's going on?"

Chen Jao Tsung, the Chinese representative and co-director of the ESGC hurried down the corridor towards the embarkation room, her high-pitched voice already carrying through the halls. She stormed breathlessly into the room, her face flushed and her dark eyes wide as she scanned the crowd of people before her.

"We were attacked by Goa'uld Death Gliders."

"How... What..."

Her mouth opened but no words came out as realization dawned.

"I believe we should discuss this topic in the briefing room."

"Good idea, Teal'c."

Still rendered virtually speechless, she left the room and followed him while dozen of medics passed them to take care of the injured.

--- --- --- --- ---

He could hear the voices of Tharyl, Thor, and Carter in the next room. He could nearly imagine how she looked like right now, her pretty head bursting with all equations to determine the possibilities to get 'her Jack' out of there in one piece. Tharyl had shown them the position of Indra's palace but they hadn't been able to beam down. There seemed to be some kind of force shield protecting the place that even Thor wasn't able to break through.

There was nothing he could do right now but sit here, twiddling his thumbs. He hated to be condemned to dull nothingness. When he was at his cabin there wasn't anything he loved more then to do nothing, but this? He hated it. As the hours passed, he wondered whether he shouldn't have returned to his world the second this little gray guy had shown up at the SGC... ESGC. He missed Sammy and, ever since his awakening this morning, he felt the distance radiating from Carter, reminding him of just how much he missed his wife.

After Charlie, he had thought that life was senseless. Sara and he... they'd been great but they had not been strong enough to survive their loss. So he'd taken the Abydos mission. And, to his surprise, Daniel had showed him that there was still something to live for. But, when he'd returned from Abydos, Sara had already left him. He'd been thrown into darkness again.

And, then, Sammy had stepped into his life. She brightened his life and he'd found himself fighting for something once again. Eventually, his knee had been shot to tiny little pieces. Hammond had allowed him to stay at the SGC as a civilian consultant and Jack was thankful for that. This way, he was still able to be with his friends. That day, when his knee had been shot, had been his lucky day.

Sammy had always been the only one who could ease the dull pain in his heart, the place where Charlie had been ripped from him. Since his arrival in this world, he had felt the pain returning but he had managed to keep it at bay. He wondered how long he'd be able to suppress it. Jack had never been good dealing with his feelings but he knew that he loved Sammy more than life itself. To be here, to see Carter and to feel the anguished distance, he knew what life could be like without her. It was one prospect he didn't look forward to.

A sudden movement of the ship propelled him forward and he winced as he hit the ground with a loud thud. Cursing, he crawled up to his knees, only to find the ship shaking once again. He was barely able to keep his balance as he made his way over to the next room.

"I don't know what this is. My best guess is some kind of force field."

"That is impossible. The 'Samantha Carter' would have been able to absorb any energy output."

The smug expression on Carter's face was soon brushed away. A cute frown marked her forehead and Jack was nearly able to see her thinking. Thor hovered over the panels while Carter rushed from device to device, scanning each display with care.

"If the force shield doesn't weaken soon, the integrity of the Samantha Carter will soon be diminished."

Jack was at Thor's side in no time, adrenaline rushing through him. Even though he wasn't half as bright as Carter, he'd clearly understood what Thor had just said. If whatever it was continued, the ship would be destroyed, leaving them floating in space.

Somehow, that didn't sound too inviting to Jack. And, to add to the death and doom feeling, none of those marvelous Asgard weapons Carter had been telling him about was working properly. Obviously, the shockwave had rendered the weapons useless. It seemed as if luck was against them again.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	15. Fighting

**--- --- Fighting --- --- **

Daniel hurried over the wooden bridge, his heart pounding in his chest. It had been some time since he had had the need for a regular workout. Heck, he hadn't seen a gun in ages much less fired one. Turmoil filled the air as the building behind him exploded in a red fireball. The shockwave sent him flying on the ground and heat rushed over him when he tried to shield Ge're'na with his body.

"Doctor Jackson!"

An outstretched arm followed her shout and pointed towards the now burning house. His eyes searched the general direction and shock shot through him as he realized what she'd meant. The opposite end of the bridge had started to burn and it would be only a couple of seconds until the rope that held the bridge broke.

Trying to brace himself for what was about to come, he gripped the rope and told her to do the same. Only seconds later, he felt the bridge crack slightly and he held his breath, waiting for the inevitable. There is no real preparation for that sensation of falling, nor for the sudden stop at the other end and, when the bridge finally gave way, the air was knocked out of his lungs. With a heavy impact, the bridge pounded against the tree trunk and they nearly lost their grip. The rope brushed against his hand and left a burning red stream on its way. Daniel didn't even notice the blood that was now running down his arms.

"Climb!"

He was screaming above the chaos and soon both of them started to climb the remnants of the bridge, one end still burning and urging them to climb faster. Fortunately, the sound of Death Gliders was retreating. When they reached the platform, they took only some seconds to draw a deep breath, a fact Daniel regretted instantly. Smoke burnt in his lungs and he coughed violently.

As the shudders died down, he crawled again to his feet. The Death Gliders were gone, but he knew exactly what was about to come. Slowly, he did a full turn, taking in the destruction in front of him. It seemed as though a thick fog had descended over the city, the black smoke lit by the unsteady flicker of red fire. Children were crying in the arms of their mothers, people were standing in front of their burnt houses. The air was filled with screams of pain and loss.

For several centuries, if not millennia, these people had lived in peace. War now reached out for them and Daniel couldn't help but wonder whether he was responsible for Ordig'na's fate. When he turned further, his gaze settled on the platform where, only four days ago, he had set the first step on this planet. The Stargate was gone, the platform nothing but a black, smoking skeleton. Maybe the ring had fallen to the ground when the platform had started to burn but he couldn't be sure of that. For now, there was no way out of this inferno.

And soon, of that he was sure, hundreds of Jaffa would be marching down the wooden alleys of the once-peaceful planet. The crackling sound of fire made him aware of the bridge still burning behind them. The fire had nearly reached the platform and he ushered the Ordig'na woman to some stairs. They had to get down the trees. Soon, most of them would be burning. And their only possible way out of this inferno was the Stargate. Assuming, Daniel thought, it had survived the impact of the fall.

--- --- --- --- ---

"Sir, the planet's shields are down!"

Her unusually shrill voice waved through the sound of the screaming engines over to him. A second later, he was already on his way to get their gear.

"Thor, can you beam us into the palace?"

"Yes, O'Neill."

With a firm grip, he pushed a weapon into Carter's hands. Suddenly, Tharyl stepped up to them.

"You can't go without me. You'll need my help. I know the palace. If you want to find him, you need to take me with you"

Carter seemed to consider the options for one brief moment, before she dug a Zat out of her pack and handed it over to Tharyl.

"Stay with us and don't get yourself shot."

She nodded and Jack gave a curt nod to Thor. A split second later, they were engulfed by white light. When the light faded, they found themselves in a room with red walls, reminding him of pictures of India.

"This is the throne room."

Thrayl's voice was but a whisper and Jack signaled to Carter to take position at the door. Fortunately, there were no guards in the room itself. He surveyed the room carefully, when Tharyl tapped his shoulder lightly.

"Jack. The throne looks strange."

The big golden throne on the dais looked slightly askew that much he had to admit. It wasn't placed directly under the emblem signaling the identity of the local Goa'uld. When he took a closer look, he saw a small gap on the right side of the throne.

"Hey, Carter. Seems we've got something."

Covering their withdrawal, she walked up to them and inspected the mechanism that would widen the gap. Finally, she simply started pushing the throne aside. It moved smoothly and Jack started pushing as well until the gap was wide enough to allow easy access. Steps led down into deep darkness and he retrieved his flashlight before they started their descent into the palace's depths.

--- --- --- --- ---

"They must have developed technology to allow them to travel between galaxies in such a short time."

"The Goa'uld do not develop technology, Chen Jao Tsung. They simply assimilate it from other races. Perhaps they have found another race that allowed them to gain a technological advantage."

Chen Jao Tsung considered his words for a moment and finally nodded in assent. Any further word would have been lost as, at that moment, claxons started to blare. The woman looked shocked until she realized what was going on.

The Stargate had been activated from an off-world address. Under normal circumstances, this would have been nothing unusual but, for the first time since the ESGC had been put in civilian hands, the alarm signal rang through the mountain and the iris slid shut. All allies had been informed about the security measure so that none would enter the Gate without the iris being opened. Unfortunately, they had not been able to contact Daniel Jackson despite their many attempts.

Teal'c was already on his way down to the control room. He still held the hope that they would receive a message from Daniel Jackson or their team in the Cepheus galaxy.

"Chen, we're receiving an audio message."

"Go ahead," the woman screamed from the metal stairs, answering the call from the technician. She had needed a moment longer than Teal'c to settle her nerves and Teal'c assumed that she had never heard the 'incoming traveler alert' before.

The radio crackled with static that was soon pierced by a well-known voice.

"This is Ishta of Chulak. The Goa'uld have proceeded in retaking their territory. Just a few moments ago, the first Death Gliders have appeared over Chulak. I am asking for permission to send the children through the Stargate to Earth."

"Permission granted. The iris will be open. Good luck, Ishta."

A metal rustle accompanied the opening of the iris and soon a crowd of children pooled around the Gate. Teal'c let out a deep breath as he noticed his granddaughter to be with them. Now, he wished that he had returned with Ishta to Chulak, instead of staying on Earth.

"I will return to Chulak to assist my wife in the fight against the Goa'uld."

Having said that, Teal'c was out of the room and down to the embarkation room where the Stargate still spilled out children. The eyes of his little granddaughter went wide as she saw him and she threw herself onto him, clinging to him for dear life.

"Do not worry, Sa'reol. You will be safe on Earth."

Sobs escaped her little body as it trembled violently. Teal'c's eyes were fixed on the Stargate, where child after child walked out of the event horizon. He had hoped that his grandchildren would be able to live in a free world where fear was something that they knew from tales. But fear had arrived at his home world and he would make those who brought it pay.

--- --- --- --- ---

It was working! She couldn't help but gloat. Her plan of revenge was truly working. After all those years, she was finally able to make the Tau'ri pay for everything they had done to the Goa'uld. So many of her brothers and sisters had died and, now, the Tau'ri would feel what loss meant.

She finally finished a plan that began over one hundred years ago. Ever since the day she had found an Ancient tabloid. Therein, it had been written of a powerful weapon that was able to destroy everything and everyone.

Indra had started to search for it. She had seen the age of the Goa'uld drawing to an end as these Tau'ri vermin claimed the galaxy to themselves. When she had found the weapon on this planet twelve years ago, she hadn't hesitated for a single moment to leave her dying empire behind. An empire she was now about to reclaim.

What she had found here was far better than anything she had ever had imagined. Yet, curiously, the planet had no Stargate. There were the fragments of a place that might once have held a Stargate but it seemed the Ancients had probably taken it with them when they had left this galaxy. Instead, there was technology to speed up the ships, cloning devices, and THE weapon.

Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to determine how to make the weapon work. That was, until she had heard of the 'great' Jack O'Neill and his abilities with Ancient devices. Indra had seen it so clearly. Was there any better way for revenge than to let Earth be destroyed by the man that had defended it so many times and watch him die slowly in the process? She had hoped that his disappearance would go unnoticed but, obviously, those annoying beings had found out.

Now they were here, and they were going to be destroyed by Jack O'Neill. He was hers now. He belonged to her and followed her rules. It had taken her some time to erase his memory. The man had been extremely resistant. The memories of the woman had been especially problematic. This had forced her to take a clone as host. It had been far easier to manipulate him this way.

Indra looked down at the pale man. The machine was feeding off his energy and soon the Asgard ship would be destroyed, Earth following soon after.

"Concentrate, Barol. The enemy. His ship is in the orbit. He will destroy us."

--- --- --- --- ---

Their steps echoed through the dark halls, no matter how quietly they tried to move, the Colonel on point, Sam watching their six, and Tharyl scuttling along in the middle. Said Colonel came suddenly to a halt, his fist shooting up in the familiar gesture to signal the stop.

With a swift movement, he switched the light out and, soon, they were engulfed by darkness. A shimmer of light was visible at what was obviously the end of the corridor. Sam wondered how he had been able to see the faint glow with the flashlight on. He started walking again but moved even more silently. As they came nearer to the light, they could hear a voice. What was first a murmur soon echoed clearly through the building and covered the sound of their approaching steps effectively.

A shudder ran down Sam's spine as she realized that it was a Goa'uld talking. The voice sounded somehow familiar but she couldn't place it. Her eyes settled questioningly on Tharyl, who mouthed just one word as an answer. 'Indra'.

The Colonel already kneeled in front of the closed door and opened it just enough for him to peek into. A hand sign signaled that there were no guards in there, at least as far as he could see, and he opened the door silently. Without further ado, they signed for Tharyl to stay in the corridor and positioned themselves on each side of the door.

Quickly, they scanned the room for aggressors but found none apart from the woman standing in the center of the oval room with her back to them. The object of her concentration was obviously, the machine in the center and the man operating it. Sam could have done a back flip as she realized who it was. They had finally found him.

"Concentrate, Barol. The enemy. His ship is in the orbit. He will destroy us."

Sam watched in horror as Jack's eyes slid shut on the chair-like machine he lay on and, simultaneously, the dim light radiated by the machine suddenly brightened. With a start, Sam understood. This chair was the cause of the shockwave that threatened to destroy Thor's ship. And Jack was operating the chair.

"His weapons are already aiming at us. Destroy him, Barol. This is what you have been trained for. First, destroy their ships. Second, destroy their world."

Her heart stopped beating as the words sunk in. They had to stop her now and out of her eye's corner, she saw the Colonel gripping his gun more tightly. Could they risk intervening with the chair's procedures? If they didn't, they would destroy Earth. They didn't really have much of a choice and Sam nodded towards the Colonel as they both leaped forward.

Indra spun around at the sound of their guns' safeties snapping. Sam nearly lost her grip and she could see the Colonel's eyes widen in shock for one moment, too. It was herself, a clone, an alternate self, whatever. It was Samantha Carter staring back at her.

--- --- --- --- ---

He tried very hard to concentrate. He had to. His Queen wanted him to. The enemy. He had to destroy the enemy. Barol squeezed his eyes shut to focus his thoughts on the craft in their orbit as a sudden noise disturbed him.

"Sorry to mess with your plans, but..."

The annoying voice inside of him told him that he knew that voice. It was she. But he couldn't let himself be distracted. His Queen needed him.

"I'll keep an eye on her. Go."

This time, it was a male voice, strangely familiar, but he couldn't place it. It took too much of his strength to worry about this right now. He had to concentrate and he was tired. So very tired. A touch on his hand rousted the voice once again. It yelled at him to get up, to open his eyes.

Barol didn't have the strength to fight the voice back right now. With a tremendous effort, he opened his eyes. His vision was blurred and he could vaguely see the outlines of a blonde head. His Queen.

"Jack? Jack, stay with me."

His eyes slid shut again but the voice refused to be silent. It screamed at him to get the heck out of here, to stop what he was doing.

"Jack, you have to listen. The ship you're trying to destroy is Thor's. Jack. They want you to destroy Earth."

Pictures shot up in his head, similar to those in his dreams; a little gray guy, dying. The blue planet he had seen in his dreams when they were aboard one of those big, honkin' Goa'uld ships. Goa'uld? Barol couldn't remember having heard the word, but the voice was adamant. Snakehead, it screamed. Bad, it screamed. Evil.

"Don't you dare die on me now, Jack O'Neill. Not now that I've found you. I need you. Do you hear me? I don't want to live without you, so don't you dare leave me."

Jack? Jack O'Neill? Drop by drop pictures were trickling into his awareness. A blonde woman, Sara, smiling at him a small baby in her arms. The same baby, years later, in his arms, blood pooling around the small head. His grandfather showing him how to hold a hockey stick. Earth. His home. And the Goa'uld, Indra, who wanted him to destroy it. Suddenly everything fell into place. He wasn't Barol. Finally, he knew why his dreams had always been more real than reality.

"Come on, Jack. You have to fight it."

And there was her. She was real. This snake had used her to get what she wanted of him. Had manipulated him to become what she wanted him to be. She had abducted him, told him that she needed him to help her. He'd told her to go to Netu. For four months, she had tortured him, brainwashed him, until there was nothing left of him that could resist. Until he was sure she was his Goddess.

Anger boiled up inside of him; anger at Indra for doing this to him, for using her to manipulate him, anger at himself for allowing the snake to do this to him, for being so weak. His whole being was poured into this emotion, anger. He already felt the machine pulling at him, feeding off him. Anger.

Tremors shook the chair and Sam's constant voice became nothing more than a background murmur as he suddenly felt all his anger explode around him. And, then, there was nothing. Just darkness. And exhaustion. He was only too eager to give in to the black world that offered him oblivion and sleep. Peaceful sleep.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	16. The Price Of Victory

**--- --- The Price Of Victory --- --- **

"Jack!"

Her voice sounded hollow, even to her own ears, as she watched his body go into convulsions under her hands. The former dull glow of the chair was now flared to brilliance and the buzzing sound of energy filled the room. Suddenly, a beam shot out from the chair, like a wave, radiating in circles around the machine. Sam was only peripherally aware of Indra behind her, letting out a fearful scream before the full impact of the wave hit her and her body disintegrated.

All of Sam's concentration was narrowed on the man in the chair. The shaking stopped slowly until his form eventually stilled. Fear rose inside of her as she watched the shallow intake of breath.

"Jack, don't leave me. Listen to me, Jack. Don't."

His head moved slightly while his lids fluttered and finally slid open, revealing weary brown eyes. The eyes focused on her and his mouth started moving.

"Sam."

It was more lip-reading than actual hearing that told her what he was saying. His voice was so weak. More shivers ran down her spine as she reached for his hand.

"I'm here, Jack."

His hand squeezed her hand slightly and she took it in both of hers, rubbing it to warm his cold fingers.

"Cold."

A tear rolled down her cheek as she lifted the hand and kissed it softly. He was so cold and all the color had drained from his face. Behind her, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching but her eyes never left the dying man on the chair. It seemed as if the chair had sucked all life out of him, leaving nothing but a hull.

There was no way to deny it. Jack was dying.

--- --- --- --- ---

A Jaffa approached Daniel's paltry hiding place with steady and fast steps. Ge're'na, the tiny Ordig'na woman, crawled deeper into the brush they had been hiding in but Daniel knew pretty well that he was too big to seek shelter in there. His steps were leading in this direction and, if he didn't distract the Jaffa, he would soon find both of them.

He took one last breath and pushed himself up to his feet. The Jaffa's steps immediately came to a stop and Daniel heard the long-forgotten sound of a staff weapon being charged. He ran as fast as his feet allowed him to and dove into shelter behind an enormous tree, some twenty yards in diameter. The shot hit directly next to him. Moving as quickly as he could, he rushed from tree to tree; each time, the shots came closer to hitting him.

After a while, he was quite positive that he had taken the Jaffa far enough from the woman's position. Now, it was just a matter of survival. The ground held fewer hiding places than he had hoped it would. Obviously, the thick leaves some hundred yards above him didn't do much to support the growth of other plants.

He had also hoped that the Jaffa would start their invasion in the city but they had split their forces. Half of them were covering the city while the other half swept the ground for survivors. He hadn't found the Stargate so far either. You would have thought that a huge metal circle wouldn't be hard to find in an area where everything else was made of wood. Surprisingly, the task turned out to be harder than he could have imagined. Fortunately, he hadn't found the broken fragments of the Gate either.

The steps of the Jaffa sounded behind him and Daniel tensed up for another sprint. He avoided the staff blast once again and leaped for breath behind one of the gigantic trees. Still the Jaffa was on his heels. But there was a slight variation in the pattern of the steps. It took Daniel some time to understand that there were now two Jaffa behind him.

Sprinting for another tree, he wasn't lucky this time. The shot hit him in the leg and pain made him stumble. Still, he tried to crawl for the next bush, trying to find shelter from the prying eyes of the Jaffa. He finally reached the shelter and buried himself under thick brush. His lungs demanded for air and small gasps took in as much as possible while his eyes searched for his hunter. He didn't notice that the steps had stopped until something hit him in the head.

Groaning, he turned around to find himself eye to eye with the business end of a staff weapon. It snapped open with a loud noise and orange energy sparkled around it. Daniel didn't doubt that this was the end. Kaput. Goodbye. Sayonara. He almost laughed. How like Jack he sounded.

His eyes were fixed on the staff weapon in a morbid fascination. Suddenly, a thunderous rushing noise rose in the background. He heard screams, thousands of screams. A wall of white engulfed his executor, who lost the grip on his staff weapon as he joined in the screams of the other Jaffa. And from one minute to the next, he was gone. Simply gone. As if his body had dissolved out of its own accord, leaving nothing but the fast retreating wall of white light that had engulfed Daniel and the Jaffa only seconds ago.

--- --- --- --- ---

A Death Glider descended over the far mountain ridge that sheltered Chulak's capital. Aiming a staff cannon, Teal'c fired at the Glider, sending it spiraling quickly towards the ground. Ishta and his daughter-in-law were trapped behind the enemy lines and there was no way to break through. Behind him, he heard Rya'c shout over the noise of the battle. His son had grown to be a great warrior and Teal'c was proud as he watched his son direct the defense lines.

Despite the pride, he had to be realistic. The Goa'uld forces were now closing in from every direction, circling them effectively and cutting off their escape. Enemy Jaffa came marching through the Stargate and mother ships, one after another, descending on the horizon. Before they had been cut off from the Gate, Rya'c had received news from some of his allies. Other planets were experiencing the same and Teal'c started wondering whether the children were really safe on Earth.

This particular Goa'uld must have planned the attack over a span of years to allow such a wide-range invasion. On Chulak alone, there were at least five thousand Jaffa and three mother ships already descending. The amount of manpower and technology involved here was amazing, to say the least.

As a warrior, Teal'c had to bow his head in appreciation of the military genius involved here, even if this genius would cause his death. Another Death Glider neared their position, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. This might be their end but, if they were to die, they would die fighting. Moreover, they would die free.

He retrieved his staff weapon to fight his last fight as he watched the line of enemy Jaffa drawing closer.

"Father!", Rya'c shouted over the turmoil and Teal'c soon saw what his son was referring to.

A white light approached them like a solid wall. They were not able to see through it and Teal'c felt a sudden fear rise inside of him. This was unlike anything he had ever seen. The wall reached high up in the sky and stretched endlessly in each direction. With a quick step, he was next to Rya'c and laid his hand on the younger man's shoulder. They braced themselves for the impact of the rapidly nearing wall.

Soon, they were engulfed by white light but Teal'c felt neither fear nor pain as the light waved over him. Only a split second later, the light faded and the wall moved away quickly. When Teal'c threw a look around, the Goa'uld ships on the horizon were gone as well as any other sign of the enemy.

"What was that?"

Rya'c's voice was steady, yet he heard fear speaking out of the young man and Teal'c squeezed the shoulder harder.

"I do not know of the origin of this light. But it seems we were just freed for a second time."

--- --- --- --- ---

"Thor, buddy, still up there? Can you beam us up?"

Tharyl stepped out of the shadow as she heard the urgency in Jack's voice. She hadn't been able to see much of what was going on in the room from her position in the corridor but the sound of the familiar voice scared her to no end.

"I cannot locate O'Neill's position. You need to apply the locator device I gave you."

She watched as Jack walked over to a mechanical instrument standing in the center of the room. Sam was sitting on the edge of a chair, tears streaming down her face. She held a hand at her cheek and Tharyl's eyes followed the line of the hand down the arm. Fear rose inside of her, as she stepped closer to the chair. She inhaled deeply as she was finally able to see the face of the man on the chair.

Barol's face was white, his eyes focused on Sam, and Tharyl was glad that she saw peace in those brown eyes. She had always been aware that Barol's heart belonged to the woman that now held his hand. But, even though she had always told herself that he was just a job and that she couldn't get too emotionally involved, she couldn't help falling for this man. She jumped as Barol's body went into sudden, heavy convulsions.

Sam tried to hold him down but he only shook harder. Jack leaped forward and placed a small device on Barol's arm, his voice nearly screaming as he gripped his communication device.

"Thor. Beam us up. Now."

Bright white engulfed them once again and they found themselves standing on the familiar bridge; neither Barol nor the little gray alien were with them. Sam was standing next to her, her face a picture of shock, fear, and pain. Tears still streamed down her face and Tharyl's heart went out to her. Tharyl could directly see the moment that Sam realized where she was and what had just happened. Her jaw dropped as a sob escaped her and Tharyl pulled the woman into a warm embrace.

"Thor?"

Jack's voice echoed through the halls, but only silence answered. He called out a few more times, but still got no answer. Tharyl pulled the woman, who was now shaking violently, closer as tears started to roll down her face as well. Barol was gone and she had no idea whether she would ever see him again.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**

A/N: Only two more chapters to go. Thank you for staying with me for so long and for telling me what you thought. You guys rock.


	17. Going Home

**--- --- Going Home --- ---**

"I guess it's goodbye now."

She smiled at him with one of those wonderful smiles that could light up the dark. Even with her red and puffy eyes and dark rings under them, she still looked beautiful to him.

"Thor wants to take him to the Asgard home world. I can't leave him alone. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Sam. This is what I was here for."

It was the first time that he allowed himself to address her by her first name since the bed incident. Fortunately, it had the expected effect, her smile growing and nearly reaching her eyes.

They were standing on the bridge of Thor's ship and he had no idea what to say to her. Her Jack was in a coma; Thor had barely been able to revive him. They had already dropped Tharyl off on their way home. Another Asgard ship would take him back to Earth, while Sam would accompany Thor and 'her' Jack to the Asgard home world.

Despite the smile, tears started to roll down her cheek once again and she looked so utterly alone standing there. He pulled her into an embrace without hesitation and he found himself reminded of a similar situation not that long ago.

"Thank you, Jack. Thank you for everything you've done."

"Always, Sam. This is what friends are for, right?"

She chuckled through the tears as she pulled away again. He could directly see her pulling herself together. Straightening her shoulders, she brushed away the tears and gave him a last smile.

"Say hello to Daniel and Teal'c for me. Tell them we'll be back as soon as possible. Both of us."

"Will do. Goodbye, Sam."

"Bye, Jack. Go and save your world."

He pushed a button on the device next to him and Sam's smiling face faded into now familiar white transportation beam that engulfed him. When the light subsided, he was standing on a bridge similar to the one he had just left. Only, here, it wasn't Sam's face that greeted him.

"Welcome on board of the 'O'Neill2'. I am Heimdall."

A pang of satisfaction rushed through him as the Asgard mentioned the ship's name. While one part of him wondered what had happened to the first ship that bore this name, another part of him felt unbelievably smug.

The small gray alien extended a hand to him and he shook it carefully. Although he hated to leave this reality like that, with 'her' Jack in coma, he knew Sam was right. He had his own world to save. And Sammy would be worried sick by now.

"Nice to meet ya. So, how fast can I get me home?"

--- --- --- --- ---

The fires had burned well through the night but, as dawn sent the first rays of sunlight through the leaves, they were able put out the last smoldering embers. Most parts of the city had been destroyed by the attack or had fallen victim to the fire. As the sun rose higher into the sky and the injured had been treated, Daniel finally found the time to go in search of the Stargate.

He passed the same trees he had yesterday, only, this time, there were no Jaffa hunting him. His leg still hurt but he was able to walk with minimal trouble.

Daniel wasn't sure what had happened yesterday but he was deeply thankful for it. A small part of him wondered whether Jack and Sam had something to do with it and he smiled at the thought. This would've suited them. Normal people save a galaxy, Jack O'Neill or Sam Carter saves the universe.

His search brought him deeper into the forest. He tried to navigate his way by use of the remnants above him. Finally, he found the place where the Stargate had been erected some thirty yards above. Even so, he nearly fell over the metal ring on the ground. It had been hidden in the undergrowth and he stubbed his right foot on it, his leg screaming painfully at the impact. A huge tree shaded the DHD, the form blending in to the stem behind.

In the center of the metal circle was a huge stone. Even if someone had tried to reach them, the Stargate wouldn't have been able to connect. It should be only a few more hours, days at a maximum, until he would be home on Earth. Jeremy was probably going nuts by now. The boy called him nearly every day to tell him what was going on at college and Daniel was long overdue. With Jeremy's background, he must have been on the edge for days now.

"You found it."

The by now familiar voice of Ge're'na disturbed his thoughts and made him jump slightly.

"Yes. How is your family?"

Her big eyes smiled at him as he sat down on the metal bench that was the Stargate.

"Everyone is fine. Minor injuries, but nothing severe. Thanks to you, Doctor Jackson. I owe you my life."

With that she stepped up to him and kissed him quickly on the cheek. As she stepped back, she reached for his hand and pulled him up to his feet. From the distance, the pair looked like a child leading her father to show him something exciting.

"Come on, Doctor. We'll get some people together and, then, we'll get you home."

--- --- --- --- ---

"Father! Mother!"

The little girl threw herself into Rya'c's and Kar'yn's arms and Teal'c watched amused as his son stumbled slightly backwards at the impact of her force. He pulled Ishta a little closer to assure himself that she was all right. Miraculously, both Ishta and Kar'yn, had survived with just a few bruises.

Similar family reunions were surrounding them, as the children pooled out of the Stargate. He had been informed that he should return as soon as possible and he watched patiently as child after child stepped through the horizon. Only a couple of days earlier, he had been doing nearly the same thing on a different planet.

Finally, the last child stepped through and the event horizon disintegrated. When he walked to the DHD, Ishta never left his side and he was thankful for her silent support. The Stargate started spinning as he pushed button after button and, soon, the shimmering blue once again sprang into life.

"I hope you will find your friends, Father. Return soon."

"I will, Rya'c."

He shook hands with his son and Kar'yn a last time, before he and Ishta stepped through the Gate. On the other side, they were greeted by a surprise.

"O'Neill?"

"Hey, Teal'c. Carter says 'hello'. She said you would assist me in going home."

It took Teal'c some moments to realize of what he was talking. If O'Neill was here, they had to have found this reality's O'Neill. But, then, why was neither he nor Samantha Carter here? It appeared there were still some questions to be answered.

"I will, O'Neill. This is my wife Ishta."

The threesome was already on their way out of the embarkation room when the Stargate activated once more, spilling out a rugged Daniel Jackson. And, even though there were still many questions to be answered, Teal'c was grateful. The second he embraced his old friend, a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders and a sense of relief pervaded his soul.

They were once again safe.

--- --- --- --- ---

"Unscheduled off-world activation! Unscheduled off-world activation!"

As usual, she hurried towards the control room as soon as the first claxons had started blaring. She reached the room the very moment the wormhole engaged. Suddenly, the computer control started to protest. The iris refused to shut and her heart pounded heavily against her chest.

It could be him. He'd been gone for a month now and she was worried sick. She'd tortured herself with images of what might have happened in the other reality and she had wondered how she could have allowed him to ever step through that damn Gate with that damn woman. And why she hadn't forced them to take her with them.

SF's surrounded the Gate immediately, their weapons aimed at the blue pool. She watched the horizon with baited breath until a familiar silhouette stepped through it. Sam was down there in just a split second and flung herself at her husband, kissing him deeply to assure her he was really here.

When they finally pulled apart, he smiled at her with one of those smiles that would turn her insides to Jell-O, red or blue, purple even. God, how she loved him.

"Hey Sammy. Miss me or is this the new way to say hello at the SGC?"

Sam slapped him playfully on the shoulder as they walked down the ramp. Their fingers entwined, she refused to let go of him. He looked tired and worn out but he was alive and that was all that counted at the moment. There was nothing that a weekend at the cabin couldn't fix. At least, she hoped so.

So, when they reached the infirmary, she stayed at his side. Even Janet had to fight her off to take a closer look at him. Fortunately, the General decided the debrief could wait until tomorrow. It was already 2100 and there was no sense in doing it now.

When they finally reached their on base quarters, she threw herself in his arms, holding him as tightly as she could. They had hardly spoken two words since he had returned and she was eager to hear about the other reality.

"Did you find him?"

"Yeah."

Hesitation surrounded him like a blanket and she could feel the 'but' in the air. She wasn't going to like what was about to come but she wanted to know. During the time she had spent with the other her, she had come to like this different version of herself. From what the woman had told her, she had experienced so many bad things in her life, she deserved to find happiness. Even if her husband's month-long absence had sometimes made her doubt the wisdom in that.

"But?"

"But he's in a coma. They're not sure whether he will regain consciousness."

Unconsciously, she tightened her grip. She didn't even want to imagine what her life would be like without Jack.

"They'll be ok, Sammy. And we'll be okay. Look."

From somewhere in his pockets, he pulled out a white stone shaped into an oval and, reluctantly, she let go off him and took it. There were some runes carved in there, but apart from that, the stone looked like many others she had seen during her life.

"Ahh. Jack? This is a stone."

He smiled at her with one of those enigmatic smiles and those brown boyish eyes twinkled impish.

"Just wait, Sammy. You'll see."

Jack took the stone out of her hand and placed it carefully in his pocket, before he pulled her closer to kiss her deeply. And, suddenly, she believed him. They would all be all right again.

--- --- --- --- ---

Pale silver light glittered over the frozen lake outside and Sam imagined she could feel the chill through the walls and windows. The Asgard had found their new home on an unlikely planet. Their physical make up couldn't deal with great cold yet they had sought shelter on this planet, whose winter was just as bad as it could be.

She had been here for three months now and had watched fall turn to winter. The temperatures dropped from day to day and she had hidden a smile as Thor had entered their house fully clothed for the first time. The normal Asgard-sized homes somehow didn't fit the larger humans and they had been given one more appropriate to their physical stature. Jack hadn't seen it once. He was still in a coma.

A knock on the door shook her out of her reverie and she found Thor waiting outside, Heimdall in tow, both tucked snugly in thick woolen clothes.

"Hi Thor, hi Heimdall. Come in. I didn't know you were back, Heimdall."

The two Asgard walked past her and Heimdall started as soon as Sam had closed the door.

"I just arrived. I have found something. You know that the machine O'Neill has been exposed to is an Ancient device. There are several legends amongst the Asgard about such a device. You have to understand that the Ancients are the oldest race in the known universe and there are many legends, which is why I have not told you earlier about this. This particular legend is about a device that could create life out of nothing but, could, at the same time, destroy it.

Though the Ancients had planned the machine as something to bring life with, they soon saw its potential to be used as a weapon. So they built in what precautions they saw fit. To use the device as a weapon, the controller had to give his life. It was a security measurement to restrict the weapon's use. This appears to be why, when O'Neill destroyed the Goa'uld, he very nearly killed himself."

Heimdall stopped and watched her warily but Sam had no idea what she was talking about. She understood the legend part, but...

"You wonder why I am telling you this?"

She nodded and the Asgard hid a slight smile. Over the months, Sam had learned to interpret their facial expressions well enough to see it.

"Now that I know what causes O'Neill's coma, I might be able to cure it."

--- --- --- --- ---

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, he felt something shift and he didn't like it a bit. Darkness had been his companion for so long; it was comfortable and restful. He was reluctant to leave it, to give in to the pulling towards the far shimmer of light.

"It works. He awakes."

A distant voice drifted through to him and he flinched away from the noise. Hesitantly, he stepped closer towards the light.

"Jack?"

The voice was there again. Calling out for him. He knew that voice. A face smiled at him from somewhere in the light and his feet started walking the way more easily.

A throbbing headache greeted him as he came to. Everything ached. Even his hair ached. He was nothing but aches and he wished he could return to that dark place of oblivion.

"Jack?"

Sam. It was her calling out for him. In a pure act of will power, he opened one eye slightly only to frantically squeeze it shut against the blinding light.

"Thor, could you dim the light?"

It really was her voice. The red behind his closed lids grew dimmer and he opened his eyes again, more carefully this time. He tried to focus on the dark spot over him and, soon, his vision became more clearly, revealing the most precious thing in his world.

"Sam?"

His voice was alien, even to him, but she simply smiled one of those wonderful smiles that made him nearly forget about the ache.

"It's me."

Already, tiredness threatened to overwhelm him. He was barely aware of the little kid next to him, injecting something into one of the tubes that led into his veins. Soon, the pain eased off and sleep was calling out for him.

"Tired."

She smiled again and took his hand in hers, rubbing it softly.

"I know. Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Content, he drifted off to sleep, her smiling face dancing behind his closed lids.

**--- --- TBC --- ---**


	18. Epilogue: Learning To Fly

**--- --- Epilogue: Learning To Fly --- ---**

The air was heavy with the smell of apples and cinnamon. She had always associated that particular scent with Christmas. Fortunately, they had made it home before Christmas. They had barely been able to make themselves comfortable in the new 'old' home, before their first guest for the welcome home party arrived.

Behind her in the living room, she heard Jack shift to open the door. He was still easily tired but he refused to give in to it. Their journey home had been rather calm. Now, as they had just arrived home this very morning, they'd probably need the strength they'd gathered on their days on the Asgard ship.

The house she was standing in at the moment was a bit of a surprise for her as well. She had asked Daniel and Cassie to find her a place to live. During her divorce, after the house had been sold, she had officially lived at Cassie's. There had been no need to buy a house for herself, anyway, she'd actually lived on base most of the time.

She hadn't expected that they would buy Jack's old house. So, both Jack and Sam had been rather surprised to see their new home. They had never discussed their new living arrangements openly. Somehow, it had been the most natural step. Ever since Jack had woken up, they had hardly spent a single second apart. After all, they had a lot of lost time to make up for.

"JACK!"

The squeak from the door was unmistakably Cassie. There were lower voices. Cassie had brought Teal'c and his family along. Soon enough, the house was filled with laughter and talk. Teal'c's little granddaughter was playing on the ground. It seemed a Play Station wasn't just something for human kids. Or men, by the way.

A second ring on the door heralded the arrival of the rest of their visitors. She went to answer the door and was greeted by a wide-eyed Jeremy and an inanely grinning Daniel. Thor had beamed them down at the SGC this morning, while Jeremy had been on his way home. By the look on his face, she was pretty sure that Daniel hadn't filled him in on what had happened today.

"Sam? I didn't know you were...? Did you... Is he..."

"Come in, guys."

She hugged both as they stepped inside, Jeremy still looking utterly lost and irritated at not having his questions answered. His eyes were fixed on Sam and he didn't even notice Jack's approach from behind.

"Hey, Jeremy."

The boy's face lit up as he spun around and threw himself into Jack's arms. He stumbled backwards a bit, giving in to the force of Jeremy's attack. A smile came to Sam's lips as she watched the reunion. For the first time, since... well, a long time ago… she realized that she was happy. She was well and truly happy.

--- --- --- --- ---

Darkness had fallen outside and silence now filled the house. Rya'c, Kar'yn, and their daughter had long ago retreated to the master bedroom. Jack had been adamant that they should take it despite their loud protest. Daniel had fallen asleep in one of the chairs. He'd had one eggnog too many and now slept safe and sound like a baby. Teal'c and Ishta had taken one of the spare rooms and Jeremy had curled up on the floor in front of the fire, leaving the other spare room to Cassie.

Jack still expected to wake up any time. To find out that it was just one of those dreams he'd had so regularly on Sandrana. But it wasn't. Though he didn't like to admit it, he had to thank Indra for what she did. The whole thing had brought them a lot closer together than they had been before, had solved a lot of issues.

Sam snuggled closer to him. She was awake; he could tell by her breathing rhythm. It was still unbelievable how easily they had settled into their new roles. They hadn't seen each other for eight years and, yet, it seemed like they had never been apart.

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

Her voice was quiet, so as not to startle Daniel and Jeremy. She lifted her head slightly to look at him and he simply smiled back.

"Just thinking about how I got so lucky."

Having said that, he placed a kiss on her forehead and her head fell back to his chest. Her arms drew closer around him and she squeezed him harder. God, he was already addicted and he didn't want to ever come down to reality again.

**--- --- The End --- ---**

A/N: Thanks to all of you who stayed with me and reviewed. It meant the world to me. Honestly. I hope you liked the way it all ended, but who doesn't love Happy Ends? Once again, thank you all. I love you for making my days brighter by letting me know what you thought.


End file.
